Caol Ila 11 Year Old 2010 SMWS 53.410 Smoked Sea Salt Liquorice

A renowned bottler to those in the know, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) offers its members access to cask strength single casks designated by a coded name composed of one number to identify the distillery, another for the cask number and a title given by the committee during a blind tasting. The label’s colour corresponds to one of the 12 aroma profiles found in the society’s classification.

This SMWS cask selection offers a distinctive single malt from Port Askaig, presenting a powerful and medicinal Islay character with lively herbaceous and gamey peat notes. This bright gold whisky delivers a dense and elegant palate, transitioning from chocolatey and oily peat to herbaceous, mentholated, and salty layers. The protracted finish, marked by tangy citrus zest and complex resinous elements, concludes with warm cigar ash and intense malted barley fragrance in the empty glass, showcasing SMWS's discerning curation. 

Behind the SMWS number 53 hides the largest distillery on the Isle of Islay, Caol Ila. Renovated in 1974, it is equipped with three wash stills with a capacity of 19,000 liters and three spirit stills with a capacity of 13,000 liters. Naturally embodying the smoky, peaty, and maritime character that characterises this superb single malt, this version is marked by a purity and character that embodies the best of this Islay behemoth.

An excellent, precise, high definition expression from Caol Ila, tasting much older and refined than its stated age. Fully matured in a refill ex-Bourbon hogshead, this is a wonderfully good Caol Ila, closest in its purest essence to the classic distillery profile.

Colour: Bright gold.

Nose: Clear, sharp, deep. Very maritime and medicinal, the first aroma reveals notes of coal, soot, tide, sea spray, salt, iodine, kelp and seaweed. Upon aeration, a crystal clear sweet smoky nose full of ripe apples, lapsang souchong, pepper and clove, smoky vanilla lemon custard and marzipan. 

Palate: Lively, elegant. On the palate, shellfish, oysters, crayfish, scallops, whelks, vanilla and lemon pastry cream. Wool, chalk, ashes, more citrus, more freshness, spices - cumin, ginger and fennel, wasabi, seawater, brine and green olives. With water, a medicine cabinet - iodine, dressings, bandages, disinfectant. 

Finish: Very nice finish, long and explosive, a mirabelle plum that melts under the tongue. Icing sugar and sea water. Raisin Chasselas. Pure delight.