Caol Ila 8 Years Old 2011 Cask #AM 058 (Asta Morris)

An 8 year old Caol Ila, this distilled in 2011 from the bottler Asta Morris, from cask AM 058, bottled at 55.1%, one of 245 bottles. Caol Ila was founded in 1846 by Hector Henderson. It was founded by Hector Henderson and later passed to the Distillers Company.

It was made from medium peated malt for a clean, smoky spirit, for a smoke more elegant than heavy. A sherry cask wrapped the spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. 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 gentle vanillin sweetness from the oak balances the coastal phenols. The clean, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while holding its citrus and smoke. The lighter style means the cask and the citrus speak alongside the peat. The tall stills and a high cut give a lighter, cleaner spirit than the southern Islays.

Undiluted at 55.1%, it is powerful. Ashy smoke, lemon oil and a saline tang, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Beneath the smoke run lemon, brine and a peppery oil. A long, coastal finish carries a peaty warmth. This is an elegant Islay single malt.