October – March
| Day | Times | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 09:00 | 17:00 |
| Tuesday | 09:00 | 17:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00 | 17:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00 | 17:00 |
| Friday | 09:00 | 17:00 |
| Saturday (Apr -Nov) | 09:30 | 16:00 |
| Sunday (Apr-Nov) | Closed | |
Bruichladdich Distillery
Bruichladdich Distillery ( bruukh-LAD-ee ) is a distillery on the Rhinns of the isle of Islay in Scotland. The distillery produces mainly single malt Scotch whisky, but has also offered artisanal gin. It is owned by Rémy Cointreau.
The name Bruichladdich is an anglicisation of Bruthach a’ Chladaich, Scottish Gaelic for Brae of the Shore
The production of the distillery is mainly focused on producing single malt whisky.
Other variants have been made – medium-peated Port Charlotte and heavily-peated Octomore. While both are defiantly smoky with plenty of rich, bonfire-like aromas, the inherent freshness and acidity of the distillery character is retained.
Experiments have also taken place with different barley varieties (including the archaic Bere) and a long-term project is currently under way, with local farmers once again planting the crop for the first time since the turn of the 20th century. More than 40% of Bruichladdich’s malting barley is now produced on the island.
In addition, an old Lomond still has been recommissioned and produces The Botanist gin, whose botanical mix includes herbs and plants from Islay.
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Owner
Bruichladdich Distillery Company
Parent company:
Rémy Cointreau -
Status
Operational
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Country
Scotland
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Region
Islay
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Production type:
Single Malt
Unaged spirits -
Founded
1881
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Production yearly
1.500.000 Liters
History
Bruichladdich may have been described as ‘a working distillery museum’, but in its day it was one of Islay’s most modern plants – and today is one of Scotland’s most innovative. It was built in 1881 by the Harvey brothers, who owned the Dundashill and Yoker grain distilleries in Glasgow. Like all of the late Victorian plants, its fortunes were inextricably linked to blends from the outset.
In 1937, the eccentric Joseph Hobbs (see Ben Nevis) picked it up, but by 1954 it become part of DCL, which quickly offloaded it to AB Grant.
In 1968, Invergordon – whose business was predominantly bulk supplies – became its owner and, after a period of reduced production in the 1980s, it became part of Whyte & Mackay’s portfolio through a merger in 1993. Deemed to be surplus to requirements, the Glasgow firm closed it down in 1995 and it remained silent until 2001 when a group of Islay landowners and a London-based wine merchant bought it for £6 million.
At this point the distillery was transformed. None of the previous owners had modernised the equipment and the new parents couldn’t afford a significant upgrade, so ‘the old lady of Islay’ was nursed back to health. The money was desperately needed elsewhere.
Years of producing bulk had resulted in a less than quality-oriented wood policy, which necessitated re-racking some casks into fresh wood, including a huge range of ex-wine and fortified wine casks. Further investment went into the building of the bottling line (which employs people from the island).
Experimentation and innovation continued – multiple distillates, gin, finishing, local barley – before in 2012 Rémy Cointreau bought Bruichladdich for £58m. This made investment in new plant and machinery possible, and in the intervening years additional warehousing has been built on Islay.
In April 2019, Bruichladdich unveiled plans to build its own maltings (although much of its barley is grown on Islay, currently it is sent to Inverness for malting). The distillery has also bought 30 acres of nearby farmland to conduct barley trials and test sustainable farming practices.
On Monday 4th May 2021, Bruichladdich Distillery officially became B Corp certified
Timeline of Bruichladdich
“WE BELIEVE TERROIR
MATTERS
We label and trace, parcel by parcel, many different barley varieties, different farms, even different fields, or terroirs, many of whose characteristics are retained directly in our maturing whisky stocks, depending on harvest, yield, weather and crop rotation.
For us barley is a living, organic expression of the land, of the terroir in which it is grown. Our farmers are known to us by first name. They tell us about the soil, the wind, the drainage, the aspect, the micro-climate of every field.”
We label and trace, parcel by parcel, many different barley varieties, different farms, even different fields, or terroirs, many of whose characteristics are retained directly in our maturing whisky stocks, depending on harvest, yield, weather and crop rotation.
For us barley is a living, organic expression of the land, of the terroir in which it is grown. Our farmers are known to us by first name. They tell us about the soil, the wind, the drainage, the aspect, the micro-climate of every field.”
Bruichladdich distillery
Distillery Facts
- All
- Gallery Item
Taste profile
Medium bodied
Medium in citrus, vanilla, and fruity notes
Medium/ High in sweetness, sherry and spices
High in smokey notes
Cerficief B Corps
On Monday 4th May 2021, Bruichladdich Distillery officially became B Corp certified. On this day, 3,327 companies, in 150 industries, across 71 countries were independently verified by the B Lab as ‘using business as a force for good’. This means adhering to the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and accountability, or in other words, balancing profit and purpose.
Set up in 2006, the B Corp certification process was organised to help mission-driven businesses protect and improve their positive impact over time. Acknowledging that governments and non-profits can only go so far in driving change, they join numerous for-profit businesses helping to tackle some of the challenges our modern societies face.
They volunteered themselves to be evaluated, and their continue to do so every three years from now. This is the time for them to celebrate all the achievements they have managed but it’s also an opportunity to pause and recognize where they are now, knowing that they must push themselves to make their business better each year.
Core range
At this point Bruichladdich’s core range is:
- The Classic Laddie
- Islay Barley 2011
- Islay Barley 2012
- Bere Barely 2011
- The Organic 2010
- Black Art 09.1
- Black Art 08.1
- Port Charlotte 10
- Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2012
- Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2013
- Port Charlote OLC:01
- Port Charlotte PAC:01
- Octomore ten years
- Octomore Edition 11.3
- Octomore Edition 11.2
- Octomore Edition 11.3
- Octomore Edition 12.1
- Octomore Edition 12.2
- Octomore Edition 12.3
- The Biodynamic Project
- The Ternary Project
Bruichladdich
- The Classic Laddie
- The Laddie Eight
- The Organic 2010
- 1990 /25
- 2001
- Ancien Regime
- Blacker Still
- Bourbon Cask
- DNA 1
- DNA 2
- DNA 3
- Eighteen Years
- Fino Sherry
- Golden Still
- Micro Provenance Cask #007
- Micro Provenance Cask #014
- Micro Provenance Cask #198
- Micro Provenance Cask #071
- Organic 2003
- Redder Still 1984
- Renaissance 2001
- Rocks
- Rum Cask
- Sherry classic
- The Laddie Ten 2nd edition
- The Laddie twenty two year old
- The Organic
- The Organic 2009
- The Organic Scottish Barley
- Twenty One
- X4+3
- Yellow Submarine 1991
Bere Barley
- 2011
- 2010
- 2009
- 2008
- 2008 2nd edition
- 2006
- 2006 2nd edition
Rare Cask Series
- Rare Cask Series 1988 /30
- Rare Cask Series HB 90/ 27
- Rare Cask Series 1984 / 32
- Rare Cask Series 1985 /32
- Rare Cask Series 1986 /30
Islay Barley
- 2012
- 2011
- 2010
- 2009
- 2007
- 2006
- 2004
Port Charlotte
- An Turas Mor
- PC10
- PC11
- PC12
- PC5
- PC6
- PC7
- PC8
- PC9
- The Peat Project
- Scottish Barley
- Islay Barley
- 10 /1st edition
- 10 / 2nd edition
- CC;01
- Islay Barley/ 2011 vintage
- MRC:01 /2010 vintage
Octomore
- Edition 01.1
- Edition 02.1
- Edition 02.2
- Edition 03.1
- Edition 04.1
- Edition 04.2
- Edition 05.1
- Edition 06.1
- Edition 06.2
- Edition 06.3
- Edition 07.1
- Edition 07.2
- Edition 07.3
- Edition 07.4
- Masterclass 08.1
- Masterclass 08.2
- Masterclass 08.3
- Masterclass 08.4
- Edition 09.1
- Edition 09.2
- Edition 09.3
- 10 years / 167 PPM
- 10 years/ 80.5 PPM
- OBA
- Ten years
- X4+10
- Edition 10.1
- Edition 10.2
- Edition 10.3
- Edition 10.4
- Edition 11.1
- Edition 11.2
- Edition 11.3
- Edition 12.1
- Edition 12.2
- Edition 12.3
Black Art
- Black Art
- Black Art 02.2
- Black Art 03.1
- Black Art 04.1
- Black Art 05.1
- Black Art. 06.1
- Black Art 07.1
- Black Art 08.1
- Black Art 09.1
Distillery Tours & Tastings
Since it’s resurrection in 2001, Bruichladdich distillery has sought to reconnect whisky to agriculture. To many barley is merely a commodity, but what about the flavour?
During this tasting you will be taken on a fascinating exploration of flavour through our Islay Barley, Bere Barley and Organic Barley expressions.
DURATION:
About 1 hour
DRAMS
3 drams
COST
£10 per person
Join us in the distillery shop for a tutored tasting of our core range malts – Unpeated Bruichladdich Classic Laddie, Heavily peated Port Charlotte 10 and Super heavily peated Octomore.
During the tasting you will also learn the history of our Victorian distillery and about our vision for the future.
DURATION:
About 1 hours
COST
£10 per person
What better way to round off the week than by exploring the flavours of The Botanist! Your guide will lead you through a tasting where you will learn about the creation of this premium spirit.
The tasting will start with a sample of the neat spirit, followed by a Botanist and tonic with botanical syrup finishing up with a simple stirred martini with a foraged twist.
DURATION:
About 1 hour
COST
£10 per person
Opening times
April – September
| Day | Times | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 09:00 | 18:00 |
| Tuesday | 09:00 | 18:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00 | 18:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00 | 18:00 |
| Friday | 09:00 | 18:00 |
| Saturday (Apr -Nov) | 09:30 | 16:00 |
| Sunday (Apr-Nov) | Closed | |
CONTACT DETAILS
Bruichladdich Distillery
Isle of Islay
Argyll
Scotland
PA49 7UN
Isle of Islay
Argyll
Scotland
PA49 7UN
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tel: +44 (0)1496 850 190
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