Islay distillery Bruichladdich is responsible for some of the most innovative and sought-after single malt Scotch whiskies on the market.
Located on the southwestern tip of the remote Hebridean island, Bruichladdich is a proudly non-conformist, terroir-driven distiller. Every drop produced from the Victorian stills is matured and bottled on Islay.
Built in 1881, the distillery has a long and turbulent history, having been mothballed and brought back to life multiple times. It was revived most recently in 2000 by a group of private investors, led by wine merchant Mark Reynier.
When Reynier et al bought the distillery in 2000, it came with 1.2 million litres of whisky dating back to the 1980s. Some of these stocks were sold to raise capital to refurbish and run the dilapidated site, others have been used in releases such as the enigmatic Black Art series.
Under former Bowmore Master Distiller and Ileach Jim McEwan’s stewardship, Bruichladdich created over 20 different spirit styles.
Port Charlotte was the first whisky launched by the team in 2006, but the distillery is perhaps best known for Classic Laddie – an unpeated, floral and elegant single malt whisky made from 100% Scottish barley. Octomore, however, the world’s most heavily peated whisky series has perhaps hit the most headlines.
Rémy Cointreau bought the distillery in 2012 and Adam Hannett took over as Master Distiller in 2015, continuing McEwan’s legacy. Today Bruichladdich is the largest private employer on Islay.
