Caol Ila 7 Years Old 2010 (SMWS 53.247)

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottled this Caol Ila, a 7 year old, distilled in 2010, from cask 53.247, bottled at 58.5%, one of 300 bottles. Caol Ila wears its Islay smoke more lightly than its southern neighbours. Water falls to the distillery from Loch nam Ban in the hills above.

Drawn off a high cut from peated barley, for the clean island smoke prized by blenders. A second fill bourbon cask kept the oak in the background. 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. Refill oak lets the maritime peat and lemon of the spirit lead the way. Phenols from the peat smoke carry the medicinal, lemony edge through the years. The spirit's high notes of lemon and grass survive even long maturation. A ferry crosses the Sound from Port Askaig to Jura and the mainland.

At cask strength 58.5% it is muscular. A clean peat with sea salt and citrus, with vanilla and a soft caramel from the wood. Smoked lemon and sea salt build over an oily body. The finish is long, smoky and citrussy. This is the smoky malt of the Sound of Islay.