Caol Ila Unpeated 11 Year Old Cask Strength

When you think of Islay whisky, there’s one name that probably doesn’t pop into your mind first – Caol Ila. But why is that? It’s the largest distillery on the famed Scottish isle, and has helped define the smoky, peaty character of Islay whisky for nearly 180 years. Let’s delve into the history together to find out…

Caol Ila (pronounced Cull-EEL-ah) opened its doors back in 1846. Located on the rugged, windswept shores of the Isle of Islay, the distillery was originally founded by a savvy Glasgow businessman by the name of Hector Henderson. The name "Caol Ila" comes from the Gaelic for “The Sound of Islay,” which is the stretch of water that separates the island from the mainland. The location was ideal — it had access to good water, the perfect conditions for growing barley, and a port near the ferry landing at Port Askaig for easy transport of their whisky.

For the first few decades, Caol Ila wasn’t exactly a household name. It operated fairly quietly, producing whisky for the local market and a few whisky blenders. But all that was about to change.

Bulloch Lade, a blender, acquired the distillery from Henderson in 1857 and made improvements to the location by constructing a large dock. By the late 1800s, Caol Ila started to grow in size and reputation. It wasn’t long before they expanded their operations, adding new stills and improving production methods. As Islay whisky started to gain recognition for its unique smoky character, Caol Ila found itself increasingly in demand — especially among blenders who loved the distillery’s distinct style of smooth peat with floral notes.

The distillery was taken over by the DCL (Distillers Company Limited) in 1927, a move that helped the brand reach more international markets. For years, Caol Ila continued to supply whisky to some of the biggest names in the business. To increase capacity, the entire distillery building was dismantled and reconstructed in the original architectural style by unsung distillery architect George Leslie Darge; this time in a much larger building with six stills instead of two to satisfy increase in demand. As a result, Caol Ila soon found itself as the biggest whisky producer in Islay.

Its production was destined for a vast diversity of mixes throughout the whisky business, most notably within its parent firm, where it satisfied Johnnie Walker's requirements. Mind you, these were still the early days before the single malt market had truly taken off.

Caol Ila started producing blends in the renowned ‘Highland style’ when the economic collapse struck in the 1980s, narrowly avoiding the dreaded fate of so many distilleries at the time; instead the distillery continued to operate, with thanks to its large whiskymaking capacity. This ‘Highland style’ unpeated malt is still produced annually, though the volumes made do depend on the forecasts of Diageo’s blending team.

The new millenium saw a turning point for Caol Ila – in 2002 they released their first original single malt bottling with a 12-year-old release. Up until this point, whisky lovers had been forced to seek out independent bottlings if they wished to taste Caol Ila as a single malt. At last, the distillery’s signature style could be set apart.

The island of Islay is famous for its peaty whiskies, and Caol Ila embraces this with open arms. But what makes the distillery unique is its ability to balance that big, smoky punch with smoother, more delicate flavours, such as florals with light pepper and fruit notes.

Less than a decade later, Diageo reaffirmed Caol Ila’s importance in the whisky world by introducing yet another significant renovation. This increased capacity to 6.5 million litres annually, with the installation of additional washbacks and a new mash tun in 2011. (Bunnahabhain made the peated required during the quiet time while the construction was occurring.)

And so, Caol Ila keeps rolling on, solid as ever in Islay’s whisky story. It’s where old-school tradition meets fresh ideas, and every drop feels like a taste of the island’s history and wild beauty. From its humble start to becoming one of Scotch whisky’s most respected names, Caol Ila’s journey is all about passion, craftsmanship, and a deep love for the island that made it.