Caol Ila 9 Years Old 2013 Vintage (Signatory)

From the Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage, a 9 year old Caol Ila, distilled in 2013, bottled at 43%. Caol Ila was rebuilt in the 1970s into the large distillery it is today. Water falls to the distillery from Loch nam Ban in the hills above.

It was distilled with a long fermentation and a clean cut, giving the lighter Islay style its shape. A sherry cask wrapped the spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. 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. The spirit's lightness lets sherry, wine and bourbon casks all show through. Much of the spirit leaves the island by sea to mature on the mainland. The medium peating leaves a smoke that is firm but never heavy. The tall stills and a high cut give a lighter, cleaner spirit than the southern Islays.

Bottled at 43%, it is rounded. Smoke, grapefruit and a maritime salt, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. An oily smoke coats the palate, citrus and brine behind. The close is long, smoke over a citrus lift. This is a clean Islay smoke from the island's largest distillery.