Founded in 1846 near Port Askaig on Islay by Hector Henderson, Caol Ila means 'Sound of Islay' in Gaelic. The freshwater supply was one of the reasons for its location, and water has been important in many ways ever since - a waterfall provided power for the barley elevators and pressure for the fire hydrants. Today, a new heat exchanger uses the sea to cool the hot process water before returning it to the condensers, where for many years all supplies arrived and drums left by sea, on a small coaster called Pibroch.