Glaswegian distillery owner Hector Henderson built Caol Ila, Gaelic for Sound of Islay, in 1846. In 1863 Bulloch Lade & Co took over, following a boom in the market for blended whiskies.
1879 saw Caol Ila Distillery receive its own pier where ships could load whisky for sale on the mainland. Around this time, the distillery closed, until it was reopened and production resumed in 1934.
Following a resurgence in demand for blended whisky, Caol Ila had to be completely rebuilt to meet increasing demand and is now the biggest distillery on Islay.
Coal Ila Distillery is known for its peated whiskies, however it has recently produced unpeated newmake.
Today it is owned by Diageo.Show more