Caol Ila 9 Years Old 2013 Cask #315820 (Blackadder)

The bottler Blackadder released this Caol Ila, a 9 year old, distilled in 2013, from cask 315820, bottled at 58.2%, one of 339 bottles. Caol Ila has been bottled at every age from young and fierce to old and waxy. The distillery was expanded again in the 21st century to meet blend demand.

Here the spirit was distilled slowly from peated malt for a refined island smoke, building the elegant Islay smoke at its heart. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind 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. Maturation by the sea gives the malt its mineral, sea spray character. The spirit's lightness lets sherry, wine and bourbon casks all show through. Long ageing turns the young, sharp peat into a soft, coastal smoke.

At its natural 58.2% it is concentrated. Smoke, grapefruit and a maritime salt, with honeyed oak underneath. Smoke, lemon and a saline minerality fill the middle. The close is long, smoke over a citrus lift. This is a maritime, lemony Islay single malt.