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Bruichladdich Distillery Co. Ltd

Bruichladdich
Isle of Islay, Argyll,
Scotland, PA49 7UN
(0)1496 850 190

Public Tours

Lorna or Mary would be glad to organise a tour of the distillery for you. The distilling team will be glad to answer any questions you may have. Please Email Mary here. or call to book in: +44 (0)1496 850 190

Bruichladdich Whisky Distillery Information

Founded in 1881 by Robert William and John Harvey
Location Islay Region Loch Indaal District
Water source Octomore spring

Bruichladdich Scotch Whisky Distillery Equipment
Original 1900s cast iron mash tun.
6 Oregon pine washbacks
4 Swan necked stills
Matured in ex bourbon and sherry refilled casks.
Also various wine casks are used for finishing.

Bruichladdich

Scotch Whisky
Distillery Style
Tasting Notes

Nose: Floral, fruity, a whiff of sea breeze, cream crackers and fresh peat.

Palate: Light to medium bodied. Malty with citrus fruits and honey. Fresh peatiness.

Finish: Long, complex and mouth-watering.

The Distillery also produces whiskies with various levels of peat and different cask finishes

Bruichladdich Scotch Whisky

Distillery History
Established by Robert, William & Barnett Harvey in1881 the distillery was re-built and reopened under the Bruichladdich Distillery Co (Islay) Ltd (under Harvey family control) in 1886 Robert Harvey was the First manager.

1897 Barnet Harvey, founder of Bruichladdich, dies without issue

In 1889 William Harvey takes over as Manager until his death in 1937

A New Mash Tun arrives from Bunnahabhain at some point in 1900

The distillery was silent from 1929 until 1937 when it was purchased by the partnership of Hatim Attari, Joseph Hobbs and Alexander Tolmie. Quickly afterwards transferred to Associated Scottish Distillers Ltd (National Distillers of America)

Silent during the Second World War 1941 to 1945

A new Boiler house was built in 1949

During 1952 the distillery was bought by Ross and Coulter Ltd (Glasgow whisky brokers), just avoiding DCL’s control, which acquired Train & McIntyre in 1953

AB Grant buys the distillery in 1960 following the freeing of Scotch whisky exports from post- war rationing. The new owners began a programme of modest expansion of output, which had nearly doubled capacity from the original designed volume.

Acquired by Invergordon Distillers for £40,000 in 1969

At some point in 1975 Invergordon extended the distillery, enlarging the mash house and tun room and adding second pair of Stills, now four stills, bringing annual capacity to 800,000 proof gallons.

The original mill and washbacks installed by the Harvey brothers remain. Bruichladdich has tall stills which produce a relatively clean spirit and is certainly light-bodied in comparison to most of the other Islay malts

In 1993 Invergordon Distillers was acquired by Whyte & Mackay who mothball the distillery two years later in 1995.

New Owners
2000 19th December 2000 bought by a small independent company of private individuals, headed by Mark Reynier, Gordon Wright and Simon Coughlin of Murray McDavid.

29th May 2001 - first distillation after 5 months of refurbishment of the old existing machinery, A new whisky, based on the original distillates from the end of the nineteenth century is the first: 'Port Charlotte', heavily peated at 40 ppm.

1st June 2001 - The Bruichladdich 'Valincher' available. 50cl bottles filled by hand by the purchaser at the distillery

8th July 2001 - First distillation run of traditional Bruichladdich, distilled at 10 ppm phenolic content.

5th September 2001 Scottish launch of the new bottlings of Bruichladdich 10 fifteen and twenty un-chill filtered, un-coloured and reduced to 46% with Islay Spring water.

This distillery is on the beautiful western shore of Loch Indaal. Production started in 1881 by the Harvey brothers

The distillery is fiercely proud of it's private status: 100% Private equity, mainly Scottish money including from Islay, registered in Glasgow. 100% private shareholders - no corporate bodies.

Distilled on Victorian machinery for purity. Unpeated barley gives the floral character. Tall, narrow-necked stills provide a medicine-free, medium weight body. American oak casks introduce vanilla notes. Naturally bottled for maximum flavour and rich texture. Recently released peated versions provide the smoke.

All the whiskies are bottled where they were distilled - at Bruichladdich. Matured beside the ocean for Atlantic freshness. Only pure, Islay spring water is added to reduce from cask strength to 46%. Nothing is taken away - all whiskies are non chill-filtered and are colouring-free.

Freedom of Expression
Bruichladdich Distillery is a small, private company, free to make whisky the way they like and do not have to conform. By industry levels the bottlings are small; since they bottle naturally, they cannot seek to standardise. When new cask types, ages, and styles become available, a new edition is released to replace the previous. They hope you enjoy comparing and contrasting.

Concept Bruichladdich

16 Year Old First Growth Series, Curvee "A"
16 Year Old First Growth Series, Curvee "B"
16 Year Old First Growth Series, Curvee "c"
16 Year Old First Growth Series, Curvee "D"
16 Year Old First Growth Series, Curvee "E"
16 Year Old First Growth Series, Curvee "F"
2011 Web Launch Limited Edition Ancien Regime
2011 Web Launch Limited Edition Renaissance
X4+3
Black Art2

Uber Provenance

Organic 2003
The Organic 2010 Multi Vintage
Micro Provenace Cask 198
Micro Provenace Cask 71

Rare Bruichladdich

Blacker Still
Redder Still
Golder Still
DNA_1:The "36*"
DNA_2: 1977
DNA_3: 1985

Bruichladdich Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Independent Bottlings
Adelphi,
Berry's Own
Blackadder,
Box (Sweden)
Cadenhead's,
Cask Strength (Duncan Taylor),
Chieftain's
Coopers Choice
Dewar Rattray
Duncan Taylor Collection
Dun Eideann
Eidora (Germany)
Golden Cask
Gordon & MacPhail
Japan Import System
Murray McDavid,
Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)
Old Masters (James McArthur &Co)
Peerless (Duncan Taylor),
Provenance (Douglas Laing)
Scott's Selection
Signatory
SMWS 
Whisky Fair (Germany)

Specials

Kosher
Legacy Series
Links Series
  St Andrews
  Augusta
  Carnoustie
  K Club Ireland
  Royal Liverpool Hoylake
  Royal Troon
  St Andrews Swilican Burn
  Turnberry
  Torrey Pines
  Birkdale
  Vancouver Club
  Valhella
2001
The Sixteens
Octomore
1998 Sherry
The Blacker Still 1986
The Redder Still 1984
The Golder Still 1984
WMD
WMDII Yellow Submarine
125 Anniversary
The Resurrection
Port Charlotte Series
First Cut
PC5 to PC8
X4
X4 2007

Single Vintage

Full Strength
Full Strength 2nd
1970 Anniversary
1973
DNA 37 year old
1989
1990 aged 18 years
1990 Valinch Ghost Ship
1991 aged 16 years
1993
1994
1994 Full Strength
1994 Valinch Blandola
1998

Bruichladdich Single Malt Scotch Whisky Awards

Distillery of the year 2001 & 2003 Malt Advocate
Queens Award For International Trade 2005
Innovator of the year 2004 Whisky Magazine
Personality of the year 2004 Jim McEwan- Whisky Magazine