Caol Ila 9 Years Old 1990 Cask #2432 (van Wees)

From the Dutch bottler van Wees, a 9 year old Caol Ila, distilled in 1990, from cask 2432, bottled at 43%. Caol Ila is the quiet giant of Islay, vast yet refined. A few weeks each year the distillery runs an unpeated, Highland style spirit.

Distilled slowly from peated malt for a refined island smoke, for a smoky spirit with a citrus lift. Refill American oak let the spirit speak, adding a quiet honeyed note. In its extractive youth the spirit takes vanillin vanilla and lactone coconut quickly, the peat phenols vivid and lemony. The clean, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while holding its citrus and smoke. A gentle vanillin sweetness from the oak balances the coastal phenols. The six tall stills sit behind picture windows looking out to Jura. Diageo's Special Releases have featured both peated and unpeated Caol Ila. Water falls to the distillery from Loch nam Ban in the hills above.

At 43% it is clean and coastal. Peat smoke, citrus and a soft oil, with a creamy oak note. Soft smoke and citrus sit behind the cask. A long, briny finish ends on lemon and soft smoke. This is a clean coastal malt with a lemony peat.