Caol Ila 9 Years Old 2014 Cask #326514 (Whiskydudes)

The bottler Whiskydudes bottled this Caol Ila, a 9 year old, distilled in 2014, from cask 326514, bottled at 57.6%, one of 144 bottles. Caol Ila is the largest distillery on the Isle of Islay. The warehouses are ranged along the rocky shore at the water's edge.

Here the spirit was run through tall copper stills that keep the smoke light, building the elegant Islay smoke at its heart. A first fill sherry cask drove a deep, figgy, nutty character. Early, extractive maturation draws vanillin (vanilla) and furfural (toasted almond) from the wood over a clean, phenolic smoke. Years in oak round the smoke, the peat mellowing while the brine stays. The lighter style means the cask and the citrus speak alongside the peat. Long fermentations build the fruity, citrus notes that sit beneath the smoke. The cool Islay air gives a slow, steady maturation by the shore.

Bottled at a cask strength 57.6%, it is intense. A coastal peat with citrus and pepper, with a dry, nutty, savoury depth from the cask. Beneath the smoke run lemon, brine and a peppery oil. A long maritime smoke closes it. This is a clean, smoky Islay single malt from Caol Ila.