Caol Ila 5 Years Old 2011 Cask #DMG 11889 (Douglas McGibbon)

The bottler Douglas McGibbon bottled this Caol Ila, a 5 year old, distilled in 2011, from cask DMG 11889, bottled at 48%, one of 420 bottles. Caol Ila is the largest distillery on the Isle of Islay. Malt comes from the Port Ellen maltings on the south of the island.

Here the spirit was made from medium peated malt for a clean, smoky spirit, for a smoky spirit with a citrus lift. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the spirit. In these extractive early years the oak surrenders vanillin as vanilla and cis oak lactones as coconut, while guaiacol carries a vivid, lemony peat smoke. A slow maturation in the cool island air keeps the spirit fresh and oily. Phenols from the peat smoke carry the medicinal, lemony edge through the years. Cool, damp warehousing slows the loss of the angel's share over the years. The lighter style means the cask and the citrus speak alongside the peat.

At its natural 48% it is concentrated. A clean ashy smoke with lime and brine, with a touch of vanilla and toffee. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with citrus. The finish runs oily, smoky and clean. This is one of the most versatile of the Islay malts.