Tucked into a rocky bay near Port Askaig on Islay's northeastern coast, Caol Ila (cull-EE-la) has quietly been the island's largest producer since the 1970s, even as its name stayed under the radar for decades. Founded in 1846 by Glasgow businessman Hector Henderson and named for the Sound of Islay it overlooks — with the Paps of Jura rising across the water — the distillery spent most of its history supplying malt for blends like Johnnie Walker rather than courting single malt fame. That changed in 2002, when owner Diageo finally gave it a core range of its own.

Stylistically, Caol Ila stands apart from its heavily peated Islay neighbors: where Lagavulin and Laphroaig lean tarry and medicinal, Caol Ila's spirit is cleaner and brighter, a maritime, citrus-led smoke shaped by tall stills and water drawn from Loch nam Ban. Think sea spray and lemon zest over a gentle layer of peat — approachable, but still unmistakably coastal.