Pronounced “Cull Eela.” It’s the Gaelic name for the Sound of Islay, which separates the island from Jura. For some, the distillery’s pronunciation is as remote as its location, sitting as it does on the rugged eastern coast, where it has remained hidden from view since 1846. However you say it, the fine, smoky whisky produced by generations of islanders is worth exploring.
In 1846, Hector Henderson chose a remote and beautiful site to build his distillery, on the shores of the Sound of Islay overlooking the Paps of Jura. We continue his traditional methods of malt whisky production to ensure the distinctive quality of Caol Ila malt whisky. The barley used today is malted locally at Port Ellen and pure spring water rises from limestone in nearby Loch nam Burn, then falls to the sea at Caol Ila.
