Caol Ila is a favorite whisky of mine, I started in my first steps by tasting the 12 years old with friends and from the first moment we were won over by this special smoky feeling it had. Caol Ila is a Scottish distillery on the east coast of Islay, in a narrow bay next to Port Askaig. It began in 1846 when Hector Henderson decided to build a small distillery, which he named Caol Ila, according to the Celtic dialect for Islay.

By Aris Sklavenitis, Sommelier

In 1857 it was acquired by Bulloch Lade, while several more changes of ownership followed, with the well-known drinks company Diageo currently being the owner of Caol Ila. The distillery operated continuously until 1972 when the old one was demolished and the new one was built with greater production capabilities, which made Coal Ila the largest producer on Islay. With the recession of the 1980s, Caol Ila went to the Highlands for blends, which helped it stay open. In 1999, it began experimenting with unsmoked malt whiskies, and in 2002, it was the first permanent bottling and production of Coal Ila 12 Years Old.

2011 was another milestone, as another major renovation took place, increasing capacity to 6.5 million litres of production annually, while in 2018, Diageo decided to spend a lot of money on upgrading its distilleries, creating a new visitor area at Caol Ila.

After two cask strength versions (these are the distillates that were bottled directly from the barrel and have not been diluted, and for this reason have over 40 alcoholic degrees) of whisky in 2004 and 2005, Caol Ila 25 years old began its production in 2010 at 43 alcoholic degrees. On the birthday of a friend with whom we shared a love of distillates, I decided to buy him Caol Ila 25 Years Old as a gift… I still remember its taste on my lips.

In color, Caol Ila is intense amber, with its nose being a masterpiece, the combination of aromas of peat and the sea is something unique. The aromas of iodine together with tobacco, cooked fruits such as apple and several stone fruits and citrus fruits and on the other hand, a character of leather, nuts, liquorice, coffee, toffee and herbs compose a complex aromatic bouquet. On the palate it is quite creamy and oily with the alcohol being well integrated despite its 43 alcoholic degrees, with the aftertaste being long, with a strong sense of peat and saltiness. A spirit ideal to enjoy on its own next to a fireplace with dried fruits, while it could also be combined with main courses such as grilled smoked scallops or a smoked beef fillet.

Photos Courtesy of Caol Ila