Bruichladdich

Bruichladdich was built by Barnett Harvey in 1881. Five years later, the Bruichladdich Distillery Company was founded and renovation and refurbishment commenced. The ‘Laddie’, as it is affectionately known, is often considered to be the fruitiest, most inventive Islay malt and, indeed, there has been some contention as to whether it has truly attained Islay-status. Bruichladdich countered this with the introduction of the Port Charlotte range and later with the 2008-released Octomore, the world’s most heavily peated whisky with a phenol content of 131ppm.

The gentle character of the spirit is attributed by some to the milder weather conditions at Bruichladdich's locality, sheltered, as it is, from Mother Nature by the Rhinns, the rugged Islay mountain range. Following the death of then owner, Barnett’s son William Harvey IV in 1936, the distillery was run by Kenneth Harvey and sold a year later to Joseph Hobbs for the sum of £23,000. Silent for the latter part of the Second World War, Bruichladdich closed its in-house maltings in 1961, bringing malt in from the Islay maltings at Port Ellen. Enjoying good fortunes, a further stills were added in 1975 to grapple increasing demand.

Blenders Whyte and Mackay acquired the distillery under Invergordon Distillers in 1993. Just two years later, production ceased and in 2000 the distillery was purchased by Murray McDavid for £6.5m. The former Bowmore manager, Jim McEwan was brought in as Production Director, and in July of 2001 distillation began once more. Today the range is vast; many cask finishes, or 'ACE'd (additional cask enhancement) whiskies, have been released as well as the formerly mentioned peated offerings and, following a few successful years, the ‘Laddie’s’ future looks promising.

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About Bruichladdich Whisky Distillery

Distillery Number

01496 850221

Distillery Capacity

1 500 000 litres

Distillery Founded

1881

Distillery Status

Active

Distillery Owner

Bruichladdich Distillery Co

Distillery Address

Bruichladdich, Islay, Argyll

Distillery Website

www.bruichladdich.com

1881

Barnett Harvey builds the distillery with money left by his brother William III to his three sons William IV, Robert and John Gourlay. The Harvey family already owns the distilleries Yoker and Dundashill.

1886

Bruichladdich Distillery Company Ltd is founded and reconstruction commences.

1889

William Harvey becomes Manager and remains on that post until his death in 1937.

1929

Temporary closure.

1936

The distillery reopens.

1938

Joseph Hobbs, Hatim Attari and Alexander Tolmie purchase the distillery for £23 000 through the company Train & McIntyre.

1952

The distillery is sold to Ross & Coulter from Glasgow.

1960

A. B. Grant buys Ross & Coulter.

1961

Own maltings ceases and malt is brought in from Port Ellen.

1968

Invergordon Distillers take over.

1975

The number of stills increases to four.

1983

Temporary closure.

1993

Whyte & Mackay buys Invergordon Distillers.

1995

The distillery is mothballed in January.

1998

In production again for a few months, and then mothballed.

2000

After several years of attempts, Murray McDavid buys the distillery from JBB Greater Europe (previously Whyte & Mackay Group) for £6.5 million. 1.4 million litres of whisky from 1964 and younger is included in the purchase.

2001

Jim McEwan from Bowmore becomes Production Director. The first distillation (Port Charlotte) is on 29th May and the first distillation of Bruichladdich starts in July. In September the owners’ first bottlings from the old casks are released, 10, 15 and 20 years old.

2002

The world’s most heavily peated whisky is produced on 23rd October when Octomore (80ppm) is distilled.

2003

Bruichladdich becomes the only distillery on Islay bottling on-site. It is awarded Distillery of the Year for the second time and launches the golf series, Links, 14 years old.

2004

Second edition of the 20 year old (nick-named Flirtation) and 3D, also called The Peat Proposal, are launched.

2005

Several new expressions are launched - the second edition of 3D, Infinity (a mix of 1989, 1990, 1991 and Port Charlotte), Rocks, Legacy Series IV, The Yellow Submarine and The Twenty ‘Islands’.

2006

Included in a number of new releases in autumn is the first official bottling of Port Charlotte; PC5.

2007

New releases include Redder Still, Legacy 6, two new Links, PC6 and an 18 year old.

2008

More than 20 new expressions including the first Octomore, Bruichladdich 2001, PC7, Golder Still and two sherry matured from 1998.