Caol Ila Distillery Tour Review[photos]Islay-Scotland
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The first distillery after crossing over to Islay was Caol Ila Distillery.
It’s one of the main malts behind Johnnie Walker, which everyone knows.
When it comes to Islay, whisky made with peat is the hallmark, and we savored that flavor.
Here’s our report on joining the tour.
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目次
Features of Caol Ila Distillery
It’s a distillery 1 km north of Port Askaig harbor.
Founded in 1846. It was rebuilt between 1972 and 1974.
The pot stills are the straight-head type, currently six. It’s the largest on Islay, with annual production of 6.5 million liters.
In the past it was for Johnnie Walker blends and was a hard-to-obtain spirit. Since 2002, the 12 Year Old, 18 Year Old, and cask strength have been released.
The phenol level is about the same as Lagavulin.
Location/ Access
Caol Ila Distillery is in the north of Islay.
A recommended place to stay on Islay is Bowmore, and taking the bus from Bowmore gets you there in about 30 minutes.
If you go by bus, I’d recommend checking this timetable. (It’s hard to read, though, lol.)
On the way there, it takes you all the way to Caol Ila Distillery.
On the way back, we caught the bus from a stop out on the main road.
On the return, around 5 p.m. there were no lights and it was pitch black, and I nearly cried (lol), but the bus came safely and we could get back to Bowmore.
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The Tour We Joined and Price
We joined the Flavour Journey Tour, a 90-minute tour, at £20 per person.
This includes a distillery tour, three whiskies, and one cocktail.
You can check Caol Ila Distillery bookings here.
The Distillery’s Exterior
Since it’s along the coast, we could enjoy the cool lettering on the wall too.
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The Tour We Joined
On the tour, they carefully talked us through the characteristic aromas, the history, how it’s made, and more.
The largest still on Islay was truly stunning!
They let us experience the aroma of each of the casks too.
The Final Tasting
Since it’s a malt behind Johnnie Walker, they served us a whisky cocktail.
We took our time and savored each of the whiskies.
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Shop and Bar
The shop was very stylish.
Apparently they converted part of what used to be a cask warehouse into the shop.
There’s a bar too, so if you order you can drink whisky.
It was a space where you could relax along with beautiful views of the Isle of Jura.
Summary
Caol Ila Distillery is apparently Nick’s favorite distillery.
We were moved to see, for the first time, a distillery that’s one of the main malts behind Johnnie Walker.
Being able to experience the aromas, the lovely guide, and the tasting venue with its superb views — it was all really wonderful.