145 YEAR OLD DISTILLERY

CELEBRATES ITS 25 YEAR RENAISSANCE!

Since its original establishment in 1881, Bruichladdich was for much of its early life a workaday distillery on Islay located on the western shore of the Lochindaal Bay across from Bowmore. Intended by its founders, the three Harvey brothers who were scions of a Glasgow distilling family, to be be a modern distillery of the Victorian Age, the facility was meticulously designed and built around stone buildings that used state-of-the-art coal technology vs. the peat-drying traditions that were typical of the region. Operations hummed along under Harvey ownership for 50+ years until a fire in 1934 and William Harvey’s death in 1936 brought a close to the opening era.​

After some years of idled operations, Bruichladdich was re-launched under a string of new owners who began to dabble in peated whiskies and continued to do so for decades. With the addition of two stills in 1975, production expanded to the point that by the 1990s, the distillery was producing more product than ever before and under then owner Jim Beam, the bean-counters in Kentucky considered the whole distilling operation surplus to requirements. Thankfully, the distillery was simply mothballed until, in 2001, a consortium led by London Wine Shop owner Mark Reynier brought it back to life and, ever since, it has grown to be a darling of Islay.​

Key to the ascendancy of Bruichladdich since its renaissance was the new owners’ choice of renowned Master Distiller Jim McEwan to lead operations. Jim had gotten his start in the world of Scotch at age 15 learning to make barrels at Bowmore, then was named Cellar Master at age 22 and, by the age of 37, he was Distillery Manager He held that post until his “retirement” in 2000, but was soon enticed to go across the bay and restart Bruichladdich. Under his guidance, the portfolio was refined and expanded to encompass three distinct lines: unpeated spirits under the Bruichladdich banner; heavily peated Scotches under the brand Port Charlotte; and super-heavily peated whisky under the Octomore name. In 2013, Bruichladdich was purchased by the drinks giant Remy Martin and Jim finally retired, leaving the Master Distiller responsibilities to Adam Hannett who had apprenticed with him over the prior decade. Adam learned his craft well and has continued the fine traditions established by his mentor, crafting outstanding Single Malts for the entire portfolio, which offers something for every Islay whisky palate.

​Cheers!​

SHOP BRUICHLADDICH