Caol Ila 15 Years Old 2008 Cask #312776 (Connoisseurs Choice)

This Caol Ila was bottled by the Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail, a 15 year old, distilled in 2008, from cask 312776, bottled at 57.9%, one of 270 bottles. Caol Ila is the smoky backbone of the Johnnie Walker blends. Its peated character is built on malt smoked to a medium level of phenols.

Worked from peated malt for the lighter Islay style, shaping the lighter side of Islay. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding only a light vanilla. In the oxidative middle years the spirit deepens, oxidation drawing out waxy fruit as the guaiacol smoke fades to embers. The medium peating leaves a smoke that is firm but never heavy. The six tall stills sit behind picture windows looking out to Jura. From a small Victorian works it grew into one of Scotland's biggest malt distilleries. The peat here is medium rather than heavy, so fruit and smoke share the glass.

At a natural 57.9% it is full and oily. A fresh peat smoke over oily lemon, with a touch of vanilla and toffee. Soft smoke and citrus sit behind the cask. A smoky, oily warmth lingers with lemon and salt. This is a refined, citrus driven Islay smoke.