Caol Ila has unveiled its Fèis Ìle 2026 bottling, an 11 year old finished in former Don Julio casks, Diageo’s premium tequila brand. Nicknamed “Tequila Caol Ila” by the distillery itself, it launched at £145. It went on sale during Caol Ila Day on 25 May.
Release details
Base maturation in American oak. The Don Julio finish is a first for Caol Ila with this type of cask. Official notes cite lively citrus, sweetness, spice, herbal notes, green fruit, a hint of agave and the distillery’s signature coastal smoke. It was bottled at 56.1%, as a limited festival run.
Casks from inside the group
Don Julio has been a Diageo brand since 2014, when the group completed its acquisition of the Mexican tequila house. Finishing a Caol Ila in these casks didn’t require sourcing from outside: Diageo pulled from its own portfolio. The same logic sits behind Ardbeg Dolce (Sicilian Marsala dolce casks), part of a Fèis Ìle / Committee line that has leaned for years on “exotic” finishes (wine, agave, rum) that stay outside the standard range.
Tequila finishes on peated whisky aren’t unheard of in Scotch (Tomatin has done it, several independents too), but this was Caol Ila’s first time with this cask type. It landed in the festival’s 40th anniversary year.
Caol Ila Day
On 25 May the distillery experiences included “The Manager’s Evening”, a whisky dinner. After the festival the bottling reached selected UK retailers, where it now trades above its £145 list price.
For the full festival calendar, see our Fèis Ìle 2026 programme.
