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Lisa Matthews has been unveiled as Bruichladdich’s first woman distiller.
The whisky and brewing specialist and Islay local began her career as a tour guide at the distillery and now returns after more than a decade to join the production team as an assistant blender and distiller.
Matthews became Scotland’s youngest female brewer before gaining production experience at Stirling, Ardgowan, Caol Ila, and Port Ellen distilleries. She will join the team led by Bruichladdich master blender Adam Hannet, working alongside him on the company’s single malt Scotch whisky and gin portfolio.
Meet Lisa Matthews, Bruichladdich’s first woman distiller
Lisa Matthews becomes Bruichladdich’s first woman distiller
Matthews’ entry to the team mirrors a route familiar to Hannett, who also began his career with the business as a tour guide before progressing through the distillery into one of the most prestigious roles in the industry.
She rejoined Bruichladdich in 2025 as production administrator after returning to Islay, quickly becoming involved in cask selection, sensory analysis, quality assurance and new product development alongside Hannett before being appointed assistant blender earlier this year.
Despite the significance of the milestone, Matthews believes appointments should ultimately be judged on ability rather than gender.
She said: “I’d love the day when appointing a woman as a distiller isn’t considered unusual – it should simply be about the right person getting the opportunity, but representation matters. When I first worked at Bruichladdich, I didn’t really see women in production roles, so becoming part of that change is something I’m incredibly proud of.”
Inside the Bruichladdich Distillery stillhouse where Matthews will work
Brewing first
Although she grew up surrounded by whisky after moving to Port Ellen, Islay, aged seven, Matthews admits she initially developed a passion for brewing rather than Scotch. After studying Brewing & Distilling at Heriot-Watt University, she joined Harviestoun Brewery, near Stirling, where she was recognised as Scotland’s youngest female brewer in 2020 and developed her own award-winning IPA recipe.
She added: “I actually came into whisky through brewing. My palate developed through beer and gin long before it did through Scotch whisky. It was only after spending time in warehouses, tasting casks and working alongside experienced distillers that I really fell in love with whisky.”
Her subsequent career took her from small-scale distilling at Stirling Distillery to helping develop production systems at Ardgowan Distillery, before returning home to Islay and a non-production role at Diageo’s Caol Ila Distillery. She then moved to Port Ellen Distillery, working as senior operator and helping produce the first spirit from the revived distillery and overseeing every stage of production during solo operational shifts.
It’s a milestone appointment, but her credentials speak for themselves
Head distiller one day?
However, Matthews says returning to Bruichladdich always felt like the natural destination.
She said: “I’ve always admired Bruichladdich because it gives people opportunities to learn and develop. I joined knowing the role wasn’t exactly where I wanted to finish, but I also knew that if I worked hard there would be opportunities to contribute beyond my job title.
“Everybody mucks in here. Whether it’s moving casks, helping with tastings or working on new projects, there’s a culture of sharing knowledge and giving people opportunities.”
Looking ahead, Matthews hopes to continue developing her technical expertise, with ambitions to one day lead production herself.
“I’d love to become head distiller one day,” she added. “But that’s something you have to earn. Adam has earned his stripes over many years and that’s exactly what I want to do. I want to keep learning, keep experimenting and keep contributing to what makes Bruichladdich different.”
Bruichladdich master blender Adam Hannett leads the team
The Bruichladdich way
Hannett says that Matthews has built an impressive career by constantly looking for opportunities to learn and challenge herself.
He added: “She combines strong technical knowledge with genuine curiosity, creativity and an instinct for flavour. Those qualities have already made her a valuable part of the team, and I’m delighted to see her take this next step.”
Matthews believes Bruichladdich’s willingness to continue investing in production talent, despite wider challenges facing the Scotch whisky industry, reflects the long-term thinking that has always defined the distillery.
She added: “In whisky you’re making decisions today that won’t be seen for years, sometimes decades. That’s what makes it such a special industry. I’m excited to play a part in that future.”
This year, Bruichladdich celebrates the 25th anniversary of its reopening under new owners Mark Reynier and Simon Coughlin. The distillery has a reputation for prioritising provenance in its whisky, and it seems that sense of local pride extends to its employees, with more than 100 people on staff, making it the island’s largest private employer.
