Bruichladdich Distillery

Visitor Centre

More about Bruichladdich Distillery

Status Operational
Established: 1881
Owner: Rémy Cointreau
Capacity: 1.5 million liters
Visitor Policy: Visitors welcome throughout the year
Tel: +44 (0)1496 850 221
Website: http://www.bruichladdich.com
Pronounced ‘Brook-Laddie’ and meaning ‘shore bank’ in Gaelic, the Bruichladdich distillery was built in 1881 by the Harvey brothers on the western shore of Loch Indaal on the Isle of Islay, making it the most westerly working distillery in Scotland, second only to Kilchoman. In 2004 Bruichladdich was the first distillery to grow barley locally on Islay for its single malts, probably the first time this had been done in the island’s history. It now works with ten local farms, releasing the whiskies in its Islay Barley single vintage series. It is also a major distiller of organic barely and explores heritage barleys such as Bere Barley. Affectionately known as ‘The Laddie’, the distillery is unusual in that its two wash and two spirit copper pot stills are exclusively used to produce its own single malt whisky bottlings. Bruichladdich is not produced for use in blends. A fifth still, a Lomond pot-still, uniquely adapted by head distiller Jim McEwan, is used to make The Botanist Gin using 22 locally foraged botanicals. Three different styles of single malt whisky are made by the “Progressive Hebridean Distillers” at Bruichladdich with three different brand names representing three varying degrees of peat: Bruichladdich: Always unpeated. Light, fruity, delicate and elegant. Port Charlotte: Heavily peated to 40ppm. Peat with finesse and elegance. Octomore: (released in 2008) Super heavily peated to 160ppm + and billed as being the world’s most heavily peated whisky. All whisky and gin produced at Bruichladdich Distillery is reduced to bottling strength using Islay spring water from nearby Octomore Farm, and bottled on Islay without chill-filtration or caramel colouring.

Address

Bruichladdich
Islay
PA49 7UN
Argyll, Scotland
United Kingdom

Distillery tours are available:

April to September
Monday to Friday at 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm & 4pm
Saturdays at 10am, 11am, 1pm & 2pm
Sundays (April - August only) at 1pm & 2pm

October
Monday to Friday 11am & 2pm
Saturdays 10:30am & 11:30am

Tours lasts approximately 45 minutes and are £5 per person with the cost of a ticket redeemable against the purchase of a bottle of whisky or gin at the distillery shop. The tour ends with a dram of one (or two) Bruichladdich malts.

Warehouse tasting times:

April to September
Monday to Friday at noon & 3pm
Saturdays at noon

October
Tuesday and Thursday only at noon & 3pm

Warehouse tasting costs £25 and connects with distiller tours (payable separately). You will be able to taste from three selected casks and a glass which you may keep is included.

Please check times and pre-book your visit:
mary@bruichladdich.com
Tel: +44 (0)1496 850 190.

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