Caol Ila 2007

In spite of a rather long finish in a first fill Bourbon hogshead, this bottling could be called an extremely textbook Islay malt. Yes, the influence of the cask gave it an extra layer of depth, with the vanilla enhancing the creamy maltiness of the spirit, but without overwhelming its breezy, citrusy, slightly salty sea character. With fragrant aromas of hay, iodine, lemon peel and of course a lot of peat smoke, it’s clean and pungent at the same time. The smokiness is well integrated at the palate, with a tarry and ashy quality that is supported by a creamy backbone of cereals. A hint of buttery character does not make it heavy at all, it simply enhances the smoothness. Overall, it remains very agile, sturdy in flavour and taste but not plodding.