Caol Ila 8 Years Old 2011 Cask #DL 13431 (Old Particular)

The Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing released this Caol Ila, an 8 year old, distilled in 2011, from cask DL 13431, bottled at 59.1%, one of 303 bottles. Caol Ila looks out across the Sound to the Paps of Jura. Its peated character is built on malt smoked to a medium level of phenols.

The spirit was distilled with a long fermentation and a clean cut, giving the lighter Islay style its shape. An Oloroso hogshead lent raisin, fig and a savoury edge. Early, extractive maturation draws vanillin (vanilla) and furfural (toasted almond) from the wood over a clean, phenolic smoke. The clean, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while holding its citrus and smoke. Tall stills and a clean cut give the spirit its oily, lemony lightness. The clean spirit shows the cask clearly, which is why it suits so many wood types. Port Askaig is a tiny settlement on the rugged east coast of Islay.

Bottled at a cask strength 59.1%, it is intense. A clean ashy smoke with lime and brine, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. A sea salt and an olive oil note sit under the smoke. Ash, lemon and brine draw out the close. This is a clean, smoky Islay single malt from Caol Ila.