Caol Ila on the northern shores of Islay is arguably the most consistent distillery in Scotland in terms of quality. Despite many changes of ownership since 1846 it has seen very few silent periods and remains today the workhorse of Islay, producing more than any other neighbouring distilleries on the island.

Caol Ila's splendid Islay spirit is also one of the most popular single malts with blenders, which has led to a wealth of independent examples being made available through the years. Its proliferation and consistency of quality make it quite hard to find bad examples of Caol Ila.