Caol Ila was first established on the Isle of Islay in 1846, when steam ships would deliver supplies before returning to the mainland with the finished product — whisky. The distillery was demolished and rebuilt in the early 1970s, while the six stills were faithfully reproduced to retain Caol Ila’s traditional, unique profile, and today remains the biggest distillery on the island. The distillery takes full advantage of its surrounding area. The barley is malted just down the road at Port Ellen, while fresh spring water that rises from the limestone at Lock nam Ban provides the whisky’s backbone.