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 6 year old 2011 (master of malt)

Caol Ila 6 Year Old 2011 (Master Of Malt)


caol ila 11 year old 2011 - hepburn's choice

Caol Ila 11 Year Old 2011 Hepburn's Choice


caol ila 12 year old oloroso cask finish (darkness)

Caol Ila 12 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish (Darkness)


caol ila 10 year old - fèis ìle 2018

Caol Ila 10 Year Old Fèis ìLe 2018


caol ila 8 year old 2014 tokaji wine cask finish - benchmark (murray mcdavid)

Caol Ila 8 Year Old 2014 Tokaji Wine Cask Finish Benchmark (Murray Mcdavid)


caol ila 16 year old 2007 (cask 203) - cask strength collection (signatory)

Caol Ila 16 Year Old 2007 (Cask 203) Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)


caol ila 14 year old 2007 (cask 317310) - woodrow's of edinburgh

Caol Ila 14 Year Old 2007 (Cask 317310) Woodrow's Of Edinburgh


caol ila 13 year old 2009 (cask 321156) - cask strength collection (signatory)

Caol Ila 13 Year Old 2009 (Cask 321156) Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)


Caol Ila 12 Year Old - Clanyard (Fable Whisky)

Caol Ila 12 Year Old Clanyard (Fable Whisky)


caol ila 16 year old 2007 (cask 205) - cask strength collection (signatory)

Caol Ila 16 Year Old 2007 (Cask 205) Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)


caol ila 12 year old (parcel no.10) - reserve casks (the single malts of scotland)

Caol Ila 12 Year Old (Parcel No.10) Reserve Casks (The Single Malts Of Scotland)


caol ila 9 year old 2014 (cask 303408 & 303410) - dalgety (hannah whisky merchants)

Caol Ila 9 Year Old 2014 (Cask 303408 & 303410) Dalgety (Hannah Whisky Merchants)


caol ila 9 year old 2013 (cask 319941) - auld goonsy's malt

Caol Ila 9 Year Old 2013 (Cask 319941) Auld Goonsy's Malt


caol ila 11 year old 2010 - artist collective 6.8 (la maison du whisky)

Caol Ila 11 Year Old 2010 Artist Collective 6.8 (La Maison Du Whisky)


caol ila 33 year old - the kinship (hunter laing)

Caol Ila 33 Year Old The Kinship (Hunter Laing)


caol ila 2010 (bottled 2023) (cask 311751) - berry bros. & rudd

Caol Ila 2010 (Bottled 2023) (Cask 311751) Berry Bros. & Rudd


caol ila 5 year old 2018 justino's madeira cask finish - benchmark (murray mcdavid)

Caol Ila 5 Year Old 2018 Justino's Madeira Cask Finish Benchmark (Murray Mcdavid)


caol ila 1998 - feis ile 2015 - cask strength

Caol Ila 1998 Feis Ile 2015 Cask Strength


caol ila 14 year old oloroso cask finish (darkness)

Caol Ila 14 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish (Darkness)


caol ila 10 year old 2012 (casks 319461, 319462, 319463 & 319488) - un-chilfiltered collection (signatory)

Caol Ila 10 Year Old 2012 (Casks 319461, 319462, 319463 & 319488) Un Chilfiltered Collection (Signatory)


caol ila 13 year old 2009 (cask 322858) - cask strength collection (signatory)

Caol Ila 13 Year Old 2009 (Cask 322858) Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)


caol ila 10 year old 2012 (cask 16893) - old particular (douglas laing)

Caol Ila 10 Year Old 2012 (Cask 16893) Old Particular (Douglas Laing)


caol ila smoking blackberries (cask 255) (bottled 2023) - the cooper's choice (the vintage malt whisky co.)

Caol Ila Smoking Blackberries (Cask 255) (Bottled 2023) The Cooper's Choice (The Vintage Malt Whisky Co.)


caol ila 2013 9 year old sherry finish signatory for the whisky exchange

Caol Ila 2013 9 Year Old Sherry Finish Signatory For The Whisky Exchange


caol ila 2009 13 year old signatory

Caol Ila 2009 13 Year Old Signatory


caol ila 2010 12 year old reserve casks parcel 10

Caol Ila 2010 12 Year Old Reserve Casks Parcel 10


caol ila 2010 13 year old berry bros & rudd

Caol Ila 2010 13 Year Old Berry Bros & Rudd


caol ila 25 year old

Caol Ila 25 Year Old


caol ila 2010 sassicaia finish connoisseurs choice

Caol Ila 2010 Sassicaia Finish Connoisseurs Choice


caol ila 7 year old atul kochhar

Caol Ila 7 Year Old Atul Kochhar


caol ila 2010 11 year old artist collective 6.8 lmdw

Caol Ila 2010 11 Year Old Artist Collective 6.8 Lmdw


caol ila 2011 11 year old sherry finish signatory for the whisky exchange

Caol Ila 2011 11 Year Old Sherry Finish Signatory For The Whisky Exchange


caol ila 35 year old (1982) special releases 2018

Caol Ila 35 Year Old (1982) Special Releases 2018


caol ila 12 year old bot.1980s

Caol Ila 12 Year Old Bot.1980s


caol ila 24 year old 175th anniversary

Caol Ila 24 Year Old 175th Anniversary


caol ila 2010 9 year old whisky sponge edition #13

Caol Ila 2010 9 Year Old Whisky Sponge Edition #13


caol ila 16 year old feis ile 2020

Caol Ila 16 Year Old Feis Ile 2020


cl13 - elements of islay

Cl13 Elements Of Islay


cl12 - elements of islay

Cl12 Elements Of Islay


cl11 – elements of islay

Cl11 – Elements Of Islay