Caol Ila Distillery — Islay Single Malt Whisky

Caol Ila Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery located near Port Askaig on the Isle of Islay, Scotland. It was founded in 1846 and is currently owned by Diageo. Despite being Islay's largest producing distillery, most of its output historically went into blends such as Johnnie Walker, and it remained something of an insider's secret among single malt drinkers until relatively recently.

History

Caol Ila was established in 1846 by Hector Henderson on the shore of the Sound of Islay (the strait from which the distillery takes its Gaelic name, meaning "Sound of Islay"). Henderson's venture ran into financial difficulty, and the distillery passed through several owners in its early decades, including Norman Buchanan from 1854 and Bulloch, Lade & Co. from 1863. In 1927 it came under the control of the Distillers Company Limited (DCL), and by 1930 it was operated by Scottish Malt Distillers, forerunners of what is today Diageo. The distillery was mothballed twice in its history, from 1930 to 1937 and again from 1942 to 1945, reflecting the broader economic pressures on the Scotch whisky industry during those periods. Between 1972 and 1974 the original stillhouse and buildings were demolished and rebuilt in a larger, more modern style, though the distillery retained its picturesque waterside setting looking across to the Paps of Jura. For most of the 20th century, the majority of Caol Ila's spirit was destined for blended Scotch, particularly Johnnie Walker, and it was only from the late 1990s and 2000s onward that Diageo began actively promoting Caol Ila as a single malt in its own right, including it in the Classic Malts Selection.

Quick Facts

• Region: Islay, Scotland
• Founded: 1846
• Owner: Diageo
• Status: Active
• Stills: 3 wash stills and 3 spirit stills

Core Range

Caol Ila's core range centres on lightly peated, floral, and maritime-leaning Islay malts that are notably paler and less overtly smoky than some of their island neighbours. Key expressions include the Caol Ila 12 Year Old (43% ABV), Caol Ila Moch (a no-age-statement expression at 43% ABV), Caol Ila 18 Year Old (43% ABV), a Cask Strength Unpeated expression, and older bottlings such as a 25 Year Old, alongside periodic Distillers Edition and unpeated releases matured in a variety of cask types.