The synthesis of double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) with highly unperturbed inner shells is reported using the catalytic vapor deposition method. Temperature dependent and high resolution Raman measurements show an enhanced phonon life-time of the inner tubes with respect to the outer ones and similar diameter SWCNTs. This proves that the inner tubes are unperturbed similar to the inner tubes in peapod-grown DWCNTs. The presence of the outer tube is argued to protect the inner tube from interaction with impurities and also to stabilize the growth of defect free inner tubes. The current material underlines the application potential of DWCNTs. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.