Caol Ila

After Caol Ila was purchased by the Distillers Company in 1927, the distillery's license was assigned to one of their blending companies and its former proprietor, Bulloch Lade & Co. Under its management, a Caol Ila single malt brand was first marketed in the 1970s. It was available as a 12-year old, with a 43% and 57% ABV 15-year-old produced exclusively for Zenith Italia in Italy in the 1980s.

When the Distillers Company was merged into United Distillers in 1987, the distillery license was brought back under central control and the single malt brand was shelved as a result. Caol Ila whisky returned in 1991 however, now packaged alongside twenty-two other distilleries as part of the Flora & Fauna range. During this time, only a single 15-year old was available, however a limited edition 1979 vintage was bottled for the Bristol Brandy Company in 1992, followed by a 20-year-old to celebrate the distillery's 150th anniversary 1996.

Buoyed by the success of the Classic Malts collection, Diageo introduced what was then known as the Hidden Malts in 2002. This range relaunched a new Caol Ila single malt brand alongside Clynelish and Glen Elgin. A 12- and 18-year-old were introduced at the time, with a 25-year-old added in 2010 and a non-age statement called Moch in 2012. The brand is also a regular contributor to Diageo's annual Special Releases, which have included several examples of its non-peated single malt.

Caol Ila Distillery
Port Askaig
Isle of Islay
PA46 7RL
Scotland