Caol Ila 9 Years Old 2013 Cask #319933 (Global Whisky Limited)

From the bottler Global Whisky Limited, a 9 year old Caol Ila, distilled in 2013, from cask 319933, bottled at 57.4%. Caol Ila stands below a steep brae on Islay's rugged east shore. From a small Victorian works it grew into one of Scotland's biggest malt distilleries.

Distilled from medium peated malt in tall copper stills, for the clean island smoke prized by blenders. A sherry butt held it, the wood lending raisin and walnut. In its extractive youth the spirit takes vanillin vanilla and lactone coconut quickly, the peat phenols vivid and lemony. Olive oil and lemon sit at the heart of the Caol Ila character. Caol Ila's smoke leans to lemon, olive oil and brine rather than tar or iodine. A few weeks each year the distillery runs an unpeated, Highland style spirit. Port Askaig is a tiny settlement on the rugged east coast of Islay.

At cask strength 57.4% it is muscular. A clean ashy smoke with lime and brine, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Beneath the smoke run lemon, brine and a peppery oil. A long maritime smoke closes it. This is a lemony, coastal Islay single malt.