Caol Ila 8 Years Old 2011 Cask #DL 13131 (Old Particular)

The Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing released this Caol Ila, an 8 year old, distilled in 2011, from cask DL 13131, bottled at 48.4%, one of 479 bottles. Caol Ila sits on the shore at Port Askaig, on the narrow Sound of Islay. Its peated character is built on malt smoked to a medium level of phenols.

Worked from peated malt for the lighter Islay style, giving the lighter Islay style its shape. Refill American oak let the spirit speak, adding a quiet honeyed note. At an extractive age eugenol lends a clove note and oak lactones a coconut sweetness, the guaiacol smoke bright and fresh. 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 lighter style means the cask and the citrus speak alongside the peat. A slow maturation in the cool island air keeps the spirit fresh and oily.

At cask strength 48.4% it is muscular. A bonfire smoke with lemon and sea salt, with a touch of vanilla and toffee. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with citrus. It finishes smoky, oily and bright. This is a clean coastal malt with a lemony peat.