About Caol Ila

Diageo owns the Caol Ila Distillery, a Scotch whiskey distillery on the Scottish island of Islay not far from Port Askaig. In reference to the distillery's position overlooking the strait between Islay and Jura, Caol Ila is derived from the Gaelic word caol le, which means 'Sound of Islay' (also known as 'Islay Strait'). Hector Henderson established it in 1846. The Isle of Jura Distillery owner Norman Buchanan took over the distillery in 1854 after it did not perform well. Bulloch Lade & Co, whiskey stock merchants from Glasgow, bought the company in 1863. Duncan Johnston was the distillery manager in 1871, according to the census. The Johnston family was associated with yet another distillery on the island since Duncan was John Johnston of Lagavulin's nephew and a relative of the Johnstons who own Laphroaig. By the 1880s, the area was producing more than 147,000 imperial gallons (670,000 L) of whiskey annually. As a result of Bulloch Lade's voluntary insolvency in 1920, a group of merchants established the Caol Ila Distillery Company Ltd. The Distillers Company bought a majority stake in Caol Ila in 1927, and Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd. acquired full ownership of the company in 1930. Due to constraints on the supply of barley to distillers during the Second World War, the distillery was forced to close between 1942 and 1945. Production continued after that up until 1972, when the distillery's whole building was destroyed. Production subsequently restarted in 1974 when a bigger distillery that George Leslie Darge had designed in the same architectural style as many of his predecessors and with his signature glass curtain walls to the still buildings was erected. Diageo eventually acquired the business.

Caol Ila Whiskies

caol ila 12 year old

Caol Ila 12 Year Old


Caol Ila Moch

Caol Ila Moch


Caol Ila 11 Year Old 2010 (cask 111) - Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)

Caol Ila 11 Year Old 2010 (Cask 111) Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)


Caol Ila 13 Year Old - Discovery (Gordon & MacPhail)

Caol Ila 13 Year Old Discovery (Gordon & Macphail)


Caol Ila 2010 (bottled 2021) - Small Batch (Berry Bros. & Rudd)

Caol Ila 2010 (Bottled 2021) Small Batch (Berry Bros. & Rudd)


Caol Ila 9 Year Old 2011 (cask 316480) - James Eadie (Drinks by the Dram Exclusive)

Caol Ila 9 Year Old 2011 (Cask 316480) James Eadie (Drinks By The Dram Exclusive)


Caol Ila 26 Year Old 1991 (cask 4678) - Mackillop's Choice

Caol Ila 26 Year Old 1991 (Cask 4678) Mackillop's Choice


Caol Ila 37 Year Old 1981 (cask 3245) - Rare Master's Collection (Mackillop's Choice)

Caol Ila 37 Year Old 1981 (Cask 3245) Rare Master's Collection (Mackillop's Choice)


Caol Ila 10 Year Old (cask 301643) - The Sipping Shed

Caol Ila 10 Year Old (Cask 301643) The Sipping Shed


Caol Ila 8 Year Old 2012 (cask 325862) - Monologue (Chapter 7)

Caol Ila 8 Year Old 2012 (Cask 325862) Monologue (Chapter 7)


Caol Ila 13 Year Old 2007 (cask CM269) - The Golden Cask (House of Macduff)

Caol Ila 13 Year Old 2007 (Cask Cm269) The Golden Cask (House Of Macduff)


Caol Ila 8 Years Old 2012 (cask 15286) - Provenance Coastal Collection (Douglas Laing)

Caol Ila 8 Years Old 2012 (Cask 15286) Provenance Coastal Collection (Douglas Laing)


Caol Ila 9 Year Old 2011 (cask 157) - Monologue (Chapter 7)

Caol Ila 9 Year Old 2011 (Cask 157) Monologue (Chapter 7)


Caol Ila 23 Year Old 1993 (cask 631) -  Rare Select (Montgomerie's)

Caol Ila 23 Year Old 1993 (Cask 631) Rare Select (Montgomerie's)


Caol Ila 6 Year Old 2014 (casks 2005618/19/23) - Benchmark (Murray McDavid)

Caol Ila 6 Year Old 2014 (Casks 2005618/19/23) Benchmark (Murray Mcdavid)


Caol Ila 13 Year Old 2007 - Equinox & Solstice Autumn 2021 Edition

Caol Ila 13 Year Old 2007 Equinox & Solstice Autumn 2021 Edition


Caol Ila 10 Year Old 2010 (casks 322460 & 322468) - Signatory

Caol Ila 10 Year Old 2010 (Casks 322460 & 322468) Signatory


Caol Ila 6 Year Old 2014 (casks 1925785/193/194) - Benchmark (Murray McDavid)

Caol Ila 6 Year Old 2014 (Casks 1925785/193/194) Benchmark (Murray Mcdavid)


Caol Ila 10 Year Old 2010 - Hepburn's Choice (Langside)

Caol Ila 10 Year Old 2010 Hepburn's Choice (Langside)


Smoky Scot

Smoky Scot


Caol Ila 13 Year Old 2008 (cask 4031313) - The Octave (Duncan Taylor)

Caol Ila 13 Year Old 2008 (Cask 4031313) The Octave (Duncan Taylor)


Caol Ila 2008 (bottled 2021) (cask 301633) - Samaroli

Caol Ila 2008 (Bottled 2021) (Cask 301633) Samaroli


Caol Ila 10 Year Old 2010 - Single & Single

Caol Ila 10 Year Old 2010 Single & Single


Caol Ila 9 Year Old 2010 - Hepburn's Choice (Langside)

Caol Ila 9 Year Old 2010 Hepburn's Choice (Langside)


Caol Ila 2008 (bottled 2021) (cask 301632A) - Samaroli

Caol Ila 2008 (Bottled 2021) (Cask 301632a) Samaroli


Caol Ila 40 Year Old - The Kinship (Hunter Laing)

Caol Ila 40 Year Old The Kinship (Hunter Laing)


Caol Ila 50 Year Old 1968 - Private Collection (Gordon & MacPhail)

Caol Ila 50 Year Old 1968 Private Collection (Gordon & Macphail)


Caol Ila 8 Year Old (Release 2) - Concept 8

Caol Ila 8 Year Old (Release 2) Concept 8


Caol Ila 11 Year Old 2010 (cask 312837) - The Red Cask Co.

Caol Ila 11 Year Old 2010 (Cask 312837) The Red Cask Co.


Caol Ila Distillers Edition

Caol Ila Distillers Edition


Caol Ila 11 Year Old 2009 (cask 319090) - The Single Malts of Scotland

Caol Ila 11 Year Old 2009 (Cask 319090) The Single Malts Of Scotland


Caol Ila 12 Year Old 2007 (casks 300893 & 300896) - Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)

Caol Ila 12 Year Old 2007 (Casks 300893 & 300896) Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)


caol ila 18 year old

Caol Ila 18 Year Old


Caol Ila 12 Year Old 2008 (cask 14251) - Old Particular (Douglas Laing)

Caol Ila 12 Year Old 2008 (Cask 14251) Old Particular (Douglas Laing)


Caol Ila 24 Year Old – 175th Anniversary

Caol Ila 24 Year Old – 175th Anniversary


Caol Ila 2009 (bottled 2021) (cask 318772) - Berry Bros. & Rudd

Caol Ila 2009 (Bottled 2021) (Cask 318772) Berry Bros. & Rudd


Caol Ila 10 Year Old 2010 (casks 324048 & 324051) - Signatory

Caol Ila 10 Year Old 2010 (Casks 324048 & 324051) Signatory


Caol Ila 9 Year Old 2012 (casks 319473 & 319477) Un-Chilfiltered Collection (Signatory)

Caol Ila 9 Year Old 2012 (Casks 319473 & 319477) Un Chilfiltered Collection (Signatory)


Caol Ila 10 Year Old - Single Minded (Douglas Laing)

Caol Ila 10 Year Old Single Minded (Douglas Laing)


Caol Ila 10 Year Old 2011 (cask 15161) - Old Particular (Douglas Laing)

Caol Ila 10 Year Old 2011 (Cask 15161) Old Particular (Douglas Laing)