Caol Ila 9 Years Old 2011 Cask #316418 (C&S Dram Collection)

Dram Collection

700ml / 61.3%

Single Malt

$166

The bottler C&S Dram Collection’s Caol Ila, a 9 year old, 2011, at 61.3%. The peat here is bright and lemony over an oily, maritime body. Water comes from Loch nam Ban, above the distillery. Among the most widely traded of Islay’s single malts. Most of its make goes into the Johnnie Walker blends. This is a maritime Islay malt, smoke worn lightly.

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SKU CIL177 Categories Caol Ila, Islay, Scottish Whisky, Whiskey Brand: Caol Ila

Description

A Caol Ila drawn by the bottler C&S Dram Collection, distilled in 2011, from cask 316418, bottled at 61.3%, one of 338 bottles. Caol Ila is a maritime malt, matured within sound of the sea. Much of the spirit leaves the island by sea to mature on the mainland.

This was distilled from medium peated malt in tall copper stills, for a smoky spirit with a citrus lift. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, a soft vanilla beneath the spirit. In these extractive early years the oak surrenders vanillin as vanilla and cis oak lactones as coconut, while guaiacol carries a vivid, lemony peat smoke. Olive oil and lemon sit at the heart of the Caol Ila character. It was founded by Hector Henderson and later passed to the Distillers Company. Its peated character is built on malt smoked to a medium level of phenols. Active wood frames the smoke without smothering the citrus beneath.

At a hearty 61.3% it carries real weight. Peat smoke, citrus and a soft oil, with a light bourbon sweetness. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with citrus. Lemon, soft ash and sea salt see it out. This is the smoky malt of the Sound of Islay.