Caol Ila

Address: Caol Ila Distillery, Port Askaig, Isle of Islay, PA46 7RL, UK. 

Caol Ila Distillery is located just off the A846, around 1 mile from Port Askaig ferry terminal and around 20 miles from Port Ellen ferry terminal. There are limited public transport options to get to Caol Ila, there is a bus stop at the end of the road which is a 15 minute walk to the distillery. The buses only stop here a few times a day (not on Sundays) so we would recommend checking the bus timetable in advance. There are also a number of local taxi companies, however we would recommend booking them as far in advance as possible as they can have very limited availability, especially in the summer. The Distillery's car park location reference on 'what 3 words' is grace.entrusted.perfected. 

We recommend visiting Traveline Scotland to plan your route and to stay up to date on transport options. 

Read more at https://travelinescotland.com/   

Please note that during winter the distillery may have to close at short notice due to weather conditions. Please check our Google listing for up-to-date information before you visit us. 

November – February | Sunday – Thursday | 10:00 – 16:00 

March – October | Sunday – Thursday | 10:00 – 17:00  Please note, we are closed on Fridays & Saturdays

Explore the flavours of Caol Ila and discover your perfect serve, whether you’re a whisky dram loyalist, innovative cocktail enthusiast, or aficionado of alcohol-free quenchers. 

The bar at Caol Ila is open 10:00 – 16:00 while the distillery is open to visitors. Last orders are at 15:45. 

Please note that all under 18s need to be accompanied by an adult.  

View Menu Here. Please note that our menu is subject to change.

Since its founding, the people of Caol Ila distillery have respected the area’s natural resources, incorporating sustainable practices throughout the whisky-making process. Caol Ila distillery currently holds a green tourism award. 

Some of Caol Ila’s current sustainability measures include: 

• The draff produced at the distillery is collected and sent for animal feed. 

• We’ve eliminated single-use plastics and invite you to join our efforts by filling your water bottles at our fill station located on the 3rd floor. 

• Reducing energy usage by employing heat exchangers for wort, wash and clean-in-place systems; holding spent lees in the spirit stills to maintain heat until ready to charge again; and making sure conveyor system equipment is run only for the time required. 

• Implementing LED lighting throughout the distillery and brand home. 

• Saving water through practises such as better monitoring in place and tailoring our production to use as little water as possible while maintaining efficiency. 

• Achieving and maintaining zero waste landfill. 

• We have electrical charging points installed in our distillery car park, a hybrid distillery car and staff member's car share where possible. 

• We are working closely with the RSPB to educate ourselves on the habitats that we have on-site and conserve the environment for the wonderful wildlife around us. 

Accessibility  

We’re pleased to have consulted Euan’s Guide to ensure that we provide disabled access information upfront to give all our visitors the confidence to visit our distillery and enjoy the experience. Please do let us know if you have any specific requirements at the time of your booking and a member of staff will be in touch. 

Accessible Navigation 

To visit us here at Caol Ila distillery, you will turn left off the main road to join a single-track road to the village of Caol Ila, less than a mile from Port Askaig. Continuing down the single-track road, on the right hand you will see a black and blue sign with Caol Ila opening times, carry on past this and you will see the general cark park on the left-hand side. Do not enter this car park, keep travelling on the single road past the general car park and follow the hill down in the direction of the accessible parking signage. Once you enter the site, travel along the road where you will then arrive in our car park and will find designated accessible parking bays, once you see the blue Johnnie Walker Striding Man, you know you’re in the right place! The accessible entrance is located directly opposite the parking bays, you will see it is surrounded with black railings. 

Once you have parked your vehicle, please stick to the pedestrian walkway which is painted with white lines, and you will come to the accessible doorway into the Brand Home building. Take care when making your way to the door, as it is a working site, and you may come across moving vehicles. On entering the accessible doorway, you will see signage for the lift to the Retail/Bar Area, it will direct you left, through a set of black double doors, which will be open. In the lift, press floor 3, where you will be warmly welcomed by the Caol Ila Team and can make a staff member aware of any additional support you may require or any questions you may have. 

Accessible Experiences 

Our Flavour Journey experience begins on Floor 2 which is accessible by lift. This is where your guide will share our story table with you, which does consist of lighting and noise effects. This part of the experience will last for around 20 minutes. 

Next, is the tour of the production area, this does, however, remain inaccessible for those who have restricted mobility due to steep stairs. However, there is a video of this section available to watch in our bar and retail area which you can access on Floor 3 by using the lift, which your tour guide will kindly escort you to. The staff will be aware of this as you will have already communicated on checking in. Once the tour of production is complete and the tour group return to the Brand Home, you will re-join at this point for the maturation area. 

The tasting at the end of the tour is located at the tasting booths which is accessible using the lift.  

Our Spirit of Smoke experience is located on Floor 3 in the maturation area which can be slightly chilly, however, is fully accessible. 

Assistance Animals 

Guide and assistance dogs are welcome at Caol Ila, however, due to health & safety regulations animals are not permitted in the production areas of the distillery. If you are visiting us with a guide or assistance dog, we are happy to make reasonable adjustments to our tours to ensure you have an enjoyable, and above all, safe experience. Please let us know if any specific requirements at time of booking so we can endeavour to deliver a positive visitor experience.

Dog Policy

Well behaved dogs are welcome in our shops and bars. Please ensure your dog is under control, and closely supervised at all times. Dogs must be kept on a short lead and must not be allowed to climb on furniture or touch the items in our shop. Please understand that not everyone likes dogs and/or could have an allergy to your pet - please keep a respectful distance from our team and our other visitors. Dogs are not permitted in any back of house areas. Dogs (except assistance dogs) are not permitted in the distillery or on any tours. Due to the size of our bars and shops, we may need to limit the number of dogs permitted inside at any one time. We reserve the right to ask you to leave should we have any concerns over your dogs’ behaviour or if your dog is disrupting other guests.

Accessible Toilets 

We have an accessible toilet on each floor of the Brand Home building. One is located next to the retail desk on Floor 3 and the other is located on Floor 2 where our experience takes place. This is also where you can find our baby changing facilities. 

Children 

Due to health and safety reasons, children under 8 years old are not permitted on the experiences, however, they are welcome in the retail and bar area. We provide highchairs if required and can assist with the heating of milk/food. 

Telephone | 01496 302769 

Email | caolila@malts.com 

Caol Ila Distillery is located near the village of Port Askaig on the Isle of Islay, Scotland. The distillery sits on the eastern shore of the island, overlooking the Sound of Islay with views across the water to the Isle of Jura.

Yes. Visitors can explore the distillery through guided tours and whisky tasting experiences that showcase the history, production methods, and signature smoky style of Caol Ila whisky.

Advance booking is recommended, particularly during peak travel periods and island whisky festivals, to ensure availability for tours and tastings.

Visitors may be able to access the visitor centre and retail areas without joining a guided tour, depending on availability. Checking in advance is recommended.