Caol Ila

Caol Ila sits on the north-east coast of Islay near Port Askaig, looking across the Sound of Islay to the Paps of Jura. It was founded in 1846 by Hector Henderson and is owned today by Diageo. The distillery was largely rebuilt in the 1970s and is the largest on the island.

The spirit is made from peated malt and has a smoky, clean, often oily and maritime character that is lighter in style than the heaviest Islay malts. Most of the output goes into blends, including Johnnie Walker, which is one reason so much Caol Ila is available. The distillery has also made unpeated spirit, released from time to time in limited bottlings.

The official range includes the 12 Year Old, the Distillers Edition and Cask Strength bottlings, older ages such as the 25 Year Old, the no-age-statement Moch, and limited releases for the Feis Ile festival and the distillery shop. These special releases tend to sell out quickly.

Caol Ila is one of the malts most often bottled by independent bottlers, so buyers have a very wide choice of ages, casks and finishes. Gordon & MacPhail (including Connoisseurs Choice), Signatory Vintage, Douglas Laing, Hunter Laing, Murray McDavid, Berry Bros. & Rudd and Adelphi all release it, often as single casks, and comparing them is a good way to see how cask and age change the same spirit.