Caol Ila 8 Years Old 2012 C��rn M��r Strictly Limited (Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers)

The bottler Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers bottled this Caol Ila, an 8 year old, distilled in 2012, bottled at 47.5%, one of 1365 bottles. Caol Ila makes a clean, maritime malt on the east coast of Islay. The clean, lemony smoke has made it a favourite of blenders for generations.

It was run through tall copper stills that keep the smoke light, for a smoke more elegant than heavy. A sherry butt held it, the wood lending raisin and walnut. At an extractive age eugenol lends a clove note and oak lactones a coconut sweetness, the guaiacol smoke bright and fresh. Caol Ila's smoke leans to lemon, olive oil and brine rather than tar or iodine. Diageo's Special Releases have featured both peated and unpeated Caol Ila. The medium peating leaves a smoke that is firm but never heavy. Water falls to the distillery from Loch nam Ban in the hills above.

At cask strength 47.5% it is muscular. Peat, smoked fish and a citrus oil, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A maritime salt and a lemon lift run through it. Lemon, soft ash and sea salt see it out. This is a clean, smoky Islay single malt from Caol Ila.