Caol Ila 9 Years Old 1989 Cask #4592 + 93 (Signatory)

The Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage released this Caol Ila, a 9 year old, distilled in 1989, from cask 4592 + 93, bottled at 43%. Caol Ila was rebuilt in the 1970s into the large distillery it is today. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays.

Here the spirit was distilled in tall stills that lend the smoke an oily lightness, giving a clean, lemony peat. A long spell in ex-Bourbon oak rounded the spirit gently. In its extractive youth the spirit takes vanillin vanilla and lactone coconut quickly, the peat phenols vivid and lemony. The tall stills and a high cut give a lighter, cleaner spirit than the southern Islays. A gentle vanillin sweetness from the oak balances the coastal phenols. The warehouses are ranged along the rocky shore at the water's edge. Tall stills and a clean cut give the spirit its oily, lemony lightness.

At 43% it is smooth and clean. Smoke, lemon and a peppery oil, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Soft smoke and citrus sit behind the cask. The finish is clean, smoky and maritime. This is a clean, smoky Islay single malt from Caol Ila.