Caol Ila 6 Years Old 2016 Cask #CI1623 (Hidden Spirits)

A 6 year old Caol Ila, this distilled in 2016 from the bottler Hidden Spirits, from cask CI1623, bottled at 54.2%. Caol Ila is one of the largest malt distilleries in all of Scotland. Malt comes from the Port Ellen maltings on the south of the island.

It was distilled from medium peated malt in tall copper stills, for a smoke more elegant than heavy. A first fill sherry cask drove a deep, figgy, nutty character. 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. Water falls to the distillery from Loch nam Ban in the hills above. The warehouses are ranged along the rocky shore at the water's edge. Phenols from the peat smoke carry the medicinal, lemony edge through the years.

Bottled at a cask strength 54.2%, it is intense. A clean ashy smoke with lime and brine, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The palate is oily and smoky, with a green citrus lift. The finish is clean, smoky and maritime. This is an Islay malt that wears its smoke lightly.