Bruichladdich

SCOTCH SINGLE MALT WHISKIES > B

BRUICHLADDICH

Aged 10 years

40 %
Distilled and Bottled by
Bruichladdich Distillery Co. Ltd
Bruichladdich Isle of Islay

BRUICHLADDICH

Aged 15 years

40 %
Distilled and Bottled by
Bruichladdich Distillery Co. Ltd
Bruichladdich Isle of Islay

BRUICHLADDICH

Aged 21 years

43 %
Distilled and Bottled by
Bruichladdich Distillery Co. Ltd
Bruichladdich Isle of Islay

BRUICHLADDICH

10 years

43%
Matured in Sherry Casks
Distilled, Matured and Bottled by
Bruichladdich Distillery Co. Ltd
Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay

BRUICHLADDICH

35 years old

40,5 %
THE OLD MALT CASK
Special Cask Strenght
Single Cask Bottling
Distilled January 1966
Bottled February 2001
228 Bottles
No Chill Filtration
No Colouring
Bottled at Natural Cask Strenght
Douglas Laing & Co, Ltd, Glasgow

BRUICHLADDICH

37 years old

40,5%
PEERLESS
A Unique Whisky of Distinction
Fons et Origo DTC
Cask Strenght
date distilled 01.1966
cask no. 2023
date bottled 02.2003
190 bottles
genummerde flessen
Duncan Taylor & Co

BRUICHLADDICH

Aged 10 years

46 %

THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
First Edition
Bottled: 2001
60% American Oak
40 % Refill Sherry Cask
'Clachan a Choin'
Distilled & Matured at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay
Pronounced 'brook-laddie' (meaning Shore Bank) this is Islay's only privately owned distil¬lery, and one of only a heroic handful in Scotland, run with passion by genuine whisky ar¬tisans with many generations of expertise.

This exceptional edition, drawn from casks that are at least ten years old, has been craf¬ted by Islay's Jim McEwan, the Master Distiller of Bruichladdich, to exemplify its light elegant freshness, making it 'the choice of the Ileach'.

Bruichladdich is bottled at the ideal drinking strenght of 46 %, in its most natural state, neither chill-filtered, nor coloured, to maximise the aroma as well as the depth and breadth of flavours.

The addition of some still spring water will make it less clear, but will release the com¬plexity in this most pure and sophisticated malt.

'Clachan a Choin'.

BRUICHLADDICH

Fifteen Aged years

46 %

THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
First Edition
Bottled: 2001
85% American Oak
15 % first fill Olorose Sherry Cask
'Clachan a Choin'
Distilled & Matured at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay
Tasting notes:

Colour: Warm honey / golden syrup

Body: Medium weight, the texture is smooth but powerful.

Nose: Distinctive and intriguing, its opens slowly, then picks up beatiful aromas of fresh flo¬wers, heather and yellow gorse. Wait a little and you will find fudge, crème brulée, dried banana and a snap of sherry.

Palate: A real honest old style whisky flavour is immediately apparent. Lots of sweet malt, digi-stive biscuits, butterscotch, tropical fruit. Lashings of oak and a sprinkle of sea spray and dry seaweed remind you of its 15 years maturing by the ocean. Islay without the hammer. Full of style and sophistication.

Finish: It lingers gently on the palate. Melodious. Profound. Audacious. Complex. Impressive. Inspirational. Mellow. Honey. Elegant. Clachan a Choin. Favoloso. Veloute. Meloso. Vanilla. Sea Salt. Smooth. Ozone. Sophisticated Peat smoke.

'Clachan A Choin'.

Bruichladdich: The Contemplative Cuvée.

BRUICHLADDICH

Twenty Aged years

46 %

THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
First Edition
Bottled: 2001
100% fresh American Oak
'Clachan a Choin'
Distilled & Matured at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay
Colour: Ripe golden barley

Body: Full and with a subtle mellow richness. The texture is rich and satiny yet retains the freshness of the Islay air.

Nose: Melon balls in honey, lemon meringue, fresh apricot and kiwi. The oak fragrance un¬folds beatifully.

Palate: Generous with waves of sweet oak and barley sugar. Gentle warmth fills the chest and brings a flash of colour to the cheeks. Graceful, balanced vivacious. The island distil¬ler's skill and patience, so often overlooked, can be truly appreciated in this outstan¬ding Celtic spirit.

Finish: Silky smooth with zesty sea notes leaving a sprinkle of salt on the lips and palate. Un¬mistakable Islay with warm mellowness lasting and declicious.

Rich. Serene. Awesome. Evocative. Silky. Fruit. Deep. Sensational. Warm. Complete. Cla-chan a Choin. Straordinario. Epanout. Predoso. Generous. Intense. Superior. Balanced. Rewarding.

'Clachan A Choin'. Bruichladdich: The Digestif

BRUICHLADDICH

46%

XVII
THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
First Edition
Bottled: 2002
100% fresh American Oak
'Clachan a Choin'
Distilled & Matured at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay

This exceptional edition has been crafted by Jim McEwan, our Master Distiller, to show off its full-bodied but subtle complexity highlighted by marine freshness. A superb combination of Kentucky oak and Celtic skill.

Clachan a Choin. Seductive expansive, vivacious, lasting, bonzer, enriching, rewarding, melenga, sendational, uplifting, unique, heavenly, satisfying, nectar, bongusta.

The First Edition comes from 100 % Fresh American Oak Casks.

Tasting notes:

Colour: Barley sugar.

Body: Full-bodied but subtle.

Nose: Initially the aromas are of sweet cereals, then as it opens, custard creams and vanilla wafers are revealed followed by cedar and wild mint with just a hint of spice.

Then the fruits evolve, nuances of green apples, fresh pear, ripe gooseberry and green grapes. Oak chips by the bucketful and toasted malt extract hold it all together and retain the balance of fruit and cereal.

Palate: Mouth-filling and deicious, incredibly complex and crisp. The Oak in its prime does not overpower the malty sweetness not the fresh green fruits in this parade of flavours The oils retained from not chill-filtering succulently coat the palate with maplesyrup sweetness. It's scumptious. The flavours are higlighted by the freshness only coastal maturation can impart.

Finish: Generous and pure, the best of Kentucky oak and Celtic skill combine to sparkle in this superb spirit.

'Clachan A Choin'.

Bruichladdich: The Reflective Cuvée

BRUICHLADDICH

18 years old

46 %

1984
THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
First Edition
Distilled 1984
Bottled 2002
Fino, Oloroso & Bourbon Casks
Matured Distilled & Bottled at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay
This unique bottling of 1984, was unearthed by our Master Distiller, Jim McEwan. A complex and balanced dram with great concentration of flavours, it is an outstanding pure hand crafted spirit.

A truly exceptional bottling, selected and hand-crafted by Jim McEwan from outstanding casks distilled in 1984

BRUICHLADDICH

32 years old

47,5%
BLACK BRUICHLADDICH
Distilled 24. May 1969
Bottled March 2002
Cask Strenght
Sherry Cask
Cask No. 2330
Genummerde flessen
Limited Edition
No Chill Filtration
No Colouring
Imported by:

Jack Wiebers Whisky World

BRUICHLADDICH

32 years old

44,2 %

THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
Distilled 1970
Bottled 2002
First Edition
100 % American Oak Casks
Distilled & Bottled at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay
This unique bottling of 1970, was unearthed by our Master Distiller Jim McEwan. A luscious and luxurious dram with stunning aroma's, it is a fulfilling Hebridean experience.

Tasting notes:

Colour: Liquid gold

Body: Concentrated, rich and luscious, the texture is sensational.

Nose: The luxurious nose is butterscotch, mint toffee, sweet oak, honeysuckle, orange blossom and marzipan followed by fabulous scents of melon, peach, soft pear, apricot and banana all dipped in honey. Remarkably fresh and vibrant with stunning aromatics.

Palate: Soft, silky, suave and mouthfilling, no heat on the palate at all then after a few moments a wave of warmth fills the chest and lifts the spirits. It's loaded with fruits, coconut, hazelnuts, and creamy oak. The mouth feel is rich, textured and layered. Absolutely classic American oak matured malt whisky.

Finish: Well-balanced lingering aftertaste that translates into a fulfilling Hebridean experience.

A truly exceptional bottling selected and hand-crafted by Jim McEwan, from outstanding casks distilled in 1970.

'Clachan A Choin'.

BRUICHLADDICH

12 years old

46%

THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
Bottled: 2003
Non Chill-Filterd
No Colouring
Distilled, Matured & Bottled at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay
'Brook-laddie' (Gaelic for 'raised beach' is a privately owned distillery on Scotland's west coast island of Islay, run with passion by true artisans.

Natural whisky distilled from lightly peated barley for maximum Atlantic freshness.

Distilled, matured and botteld at Bruichladdich with Islay spring water.

Neither chill-filtered not coloured - to maximise aroma, wirght and depth of flavours.

Hand-crafted by Jim McEwan, our Master Distiller, from personally selected Spanish and American oak casks.

'Clachan A Choin'.

BRUICHALDDICH

13 years old

57,1 %
1989
THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
(FULL STRENGHT)
Distilled: 1989
Bottled: 2002
Non Chill-Filterd
No Colouring
Islay Bottled
Distilled, Matured & Bottled at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay
A truly exceptional bottling, selected and hand-crafted by Jim McEwan from outstanding casks distilled in 1989.

'Clachan A Choin'

BRUICHALDDICH

14 years old

46 %

THE SOPHISTICATED
ISLAY MALT LINKS
'The Old Course St. Andrews'
Limited Edition
Bottled: 2003
Genummerde flessen
12000 Bottles
Distilled, Matured & Bottled in
The Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay.
Bruichladdich Links is a series of limited edition bottlings chosen by Jim McEwan, our mas¬ter Distiller.

The Link associates this superb Single Malt with the art of Graeme W. Baxter, the world's leading Golf Artist.

'The Old Course St. Andrews' is the first in a series celebrating Scotland's two principal passions.

'Clachan A Choin'.

BRUICHLADDICH

37 years old

41,8%

THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
LEGACY SERIES TWO
'Loch Indaal from Port Charlotte'
Bottled in 2003
Genummerde flessen
1500 Bottles
Distilled, Matured & Bottled in
The Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay.
Legacy - a series of occasional outstanding vintages, selected by Jim McEwan from malts we inherited with the Distillery. At natural strenght, neither chill-filtered nor coloured, they are perfectly balanced and harmonious.

The numbered bottles carry the image 'Loch Indaal from Port Charlotte' by the celebrated artist Frances Macdonald.

'Clachan A Choin'.

BRUICHLADDICH

Twenty Aged Years

46 %

THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
SECOND EDITION
FLIRTATION
Finished in Mourvèdre Wine Casks
from Rivesaltes
Distilled, Matured & Bottled at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay
Bruichladdich Twenty Flirtation

A risque development in the continuing adventures of the Laddie, the provocative second edition of Bruichladdich Twenty.

Merely to imitate the award-winning First Edition was never an option. Instead, being the individualists that we are, we wanted a dram that was just a little different.

Jim McEwan, Master Distiller, has therefore created an evocative cuvee that is an intrigue, a liaison dangereuse.

After twenty years maturing in Bourbon barrels, the Laddie was coply introduced to spicy Mourvèdre wine casks from Rivesaltes on France's Mediterranean coast.

It was a flirtation, a holiday romance, that was almost over before it had begun.

The result of this dalliance is that the expected profound spirit shows the gentle nuances of alluring fruit flavors with just a hint of subtle spice aroma's adding to overall multi - layerd experience.

The passion of this brief encounter was enough to bring a blush to the Laddie's cheek... Clachan a Choin.

BRUICHLADDICH

10 TEN AGED YEARS

46 %

THE LADDIE TEN

THE DEFINITIVE AMERICAN – OAK

MATURED BRUICHLADDICH AND

OUR FIRST FLAGSHIP TEN YEARS OLD

“ The first 10 years are the longest ”

UNPEATED ISLAY SINGLE MALTD SCOTCH WHISKY

Natural Whisky, Distilled, matured and Bottled

Un – Chill Filtered and Colouring Free at

Bruichladdich Distillery, isle of Islay.

Progressive Hebridean Distillers

It was an intensely emotional day in the spring of 2001. When we first broke the padlock

on the Bruichladdich gates an took charge of this charismatic but much neglected Victorian

distillery on the far west Atlantic coast of Islay.

Since then it’ s been a rollercoaster ride and many said we would’ t make it but we persevered and we fought…and here we are.

This spirit malted from only Scottish barley for authenticity slow fermented for purity

trickle distilled for creamy texture and cask – filled at 70 % for extra flavor has been

quietly slumbering in our loch – side warehouses for the last 10 years and we are

immensely proud to offer this landmark dram to you now.

BRUICHLADDICH

12 years old

44 %
THE SECRET
TREASURES OF SCOTLAND
SINGLE CASK - SINGLE MALT
ISLAY SCOTCH WHISKY
This product was originally
distilled on 15th June 1989
Cask No. 1662
Especially selected by A. Rickards,
Master Blender
Numbered Bottles
378 Bottles
Imported by S. Fassbind AG, Oberath
The Moray Malt Whisky Ltd, Edinburgh

BRUICHLADDICH

50 %

3 D
THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
THE PEAT PROPOSAL
SECOND EDITION
MOINE MHOR
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
3 Peat levels
3 diverse cellars
3 distinct eras
THE LADDY
Bottled: 2004
Non Chill Filtered
No Colouring
'Clachan a Choin'
Distilled, Matured & Bottled at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay
Jim McEwan's Moine Mhor ('moyn-iar-vore' THE Gaelic for 'The Big Peat') is the second edition of 3 D 'The Peat Propoasal' - but with more peat and a higher strenght.

Our narrow-necked stills and our innovative philosophy of 3 different peat levels from 3 diverse cellars over 3 distinct eras provides the attractive peat flavours - without the medicine

A glimpse of the past, a look at the present and a hint of the future.

BRUICHLADDICH

46 %

3 D
THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
THE PEAT PROPOSAL
3 Peat levels
3 origins
3 eras
Handcrafted
Caramel free
Non chill - filtered
Uniquely bottled on Islay
using Islay spring water
Independent Limited Edition
12000 Numbered Bottles
Distilled, Matured & Bottled at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay
Historical all Islay distilleries produced heavily peated single malts (as did most of Scotland) and up to 1961 Bruichladdich was no exception - though there are few alive today who tasted it. Changing fashion in the sixties resulted in the dismantling of the kiln and malt barns, and the birth of the Bruichladdich that we know and love today.

Inspired by this original style and in homage to the men who remained loyal to Bruichladdich on the three occasions it was lamentably closed down, Jim McEwan has created '3D' - The Peat Proposal. Distilled in three distinct eras, from three different peating levels, matured in three separate cellars, yet made by the same Islay men; this is Bruichladdich 3 D, a multi - dimensional dram - with a glance to the past, a look at the present and a hint of the future.

'Clachan a Choin'.

BRUICHLADDICH

55,5 %

THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
INFINITY
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
CASK STRENGHT
100 % REFILL SHERRY CASKS
SUPERB VATTING OF THREE DIFFERENT VINTAGES
Non Chili Filtering
No Colouring
'Clachan a Choin'
Distilled, Matured & Bottled at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay
Infinity - like the endless time and space of the magical island of Islay, where this unique spirit was distilled and matured in Sherry casks beside the wild Atlantic Ocean

BRUICHLADDICH

46 %

THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
ROCKS
ATLANTIC FRESHNESS
THE ROCK OF AGES
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Non Chill Filtered
No Colouring
'Clachan a Choin'
Distilled, Matured & Bottled at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay

Bruichladdich ('brook-laddie') is built on the oldest rocks of any distillery in Scotland -1800 million year old Gneiss. But for the Caledonian Orogeny, an earth-shattering twist of fate, Bruichladdich would now be in Peru.

Master Distiller Jim McEwan, inspired by his native Island's rugged yet beautiful scenery, has created

'Rocks' from a range of contrasting cask types and ages to provide wave of compelling citrus and subtle red berry fruit flavours. A soft, floral fram with a fresh sea breeze hint.

To maximise this purity of flavour, we neither chill-filter to clarify, or add caramel to colour the whisky. Bottled in this natural way it will become slightly opaque if water or ice are added.

BRUICHLADDICH

14 years old

46 %

THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
W M D - 11 -

THE YELLOW SUBMARINE
1991
Distilled 1991
'Clachan a Choin'
Distilled, Matured & Bottled at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay
W M D - The Yellow Submarine

Lost & Found

Found, one submarine, wallowing aimlessly in North Atlantic near Islay

Colour: Bright yellow.

Distinctive markings: Ministry of Defence Contact: Fisherman Baker on Islay 917850 Reward expected

The Coastguard knew nothing about the bright yellow mini submarine, marked 'M 0 D’, bristling with hi-tech surveillance equipment found by an Islay fisherman floating dangerously under the surface of the Atlantic.

It was towed to port, hoisted ashore, and kept securely waiting collection.

The Minstry of Defence (M 0 D) 'Defending the United Kingdom and its interests’ at first denied it was missing, then that it was not theirs, and finally that it must have been stolen, but the Coastguard were still looking for it... First spied on the U.S, now the Brits, ... whoever next ?

W M D = Weapon of Mass Destruction

BRUICHLADDICH

Aged 33 years

40,9 %
THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
LEGACY SERIES FIVE
'The Ebb Slips from the Rocks, Port Bhan'
by Frances Macdonald
1690 Numbered Bottles
No Chill Filtration
No Colouring
'Clachan A Choin'
Distilled, Matured & Bottled at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay

BRUICHLADDICH

Aged 20 years

50,7%

1986
BLACKER STILL
CASK STRENGHT
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distilled 1986
Matured in sherry casks
Bottled 2006
Non Chill-Filtered
Colouring free
2840 Numbered Bottles
Distilled, Matured and Bottled
on Islay at Bruichladdich, Islay
Bruichladdich 1986 vintage has matured over two decades in sherry casks in a traditional earthen floor warehouse on the very edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

In this wonderful location, with its extremes of climate, the spirit is drawn deep into the oak staves extracting all the flavours, colours and warmth of the wines, producing something truly special from Islay's Western seaboard.

BRUICHLADDICH

35 years old

40,1 %
125 YEARS OF BRUICHLADDICH
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
125th ANNIVERSARY BOTTLING
1881 - 2006
VINTAGE 1970
Matured in Bourbon Casks
and then given an additional cask evolut
in Zind Humbrecht's 'Selection de
Grains Noble' Pinot Gris casks
Limited Edition
Numbered Bottles
2502 Bottles
Cask Strenght
No Chill Filtration
No Colouring
Distilled, Matured and Bottled on Islay
at Bruichladdich, Islay

BRUICHLADDICH

46 %

THE SOPHISTICATED ISLAY MALT
THE PEAT PROPOSAL
THIRD EDITION
THE NORRIE CAMPBELL TRIBUTE BOTTLING
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
3 D 3
3 VINTAGES
3 WAREHOUSES
3 PEATING LEVELS
THE HEAVILY PEATED: 3 D 3
Bottled 2006
Non Chill Filtered
No Colouring
'Clachan a Choin'
Distilled, Matured & Bottled at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay

'Brook-Laddie' ( The Gaelic for a 'raised beach') is privately owned, run with passion by true artisans on the west coast island of Islay. Built in 1881, much of the original Victorian machinery is still used.

'Following the succes of 3 d 2 Moine Mhor - I decided that the new recipe for my friend Norrie's tribute bottling should be the most heavily peated of the series with more passion, warmth and personality to reflect the character of Islay's last traditional peat cutter who supplied all the great Islay malt distillers with peat until the advance of the machinery used today.

Lord help the angels when Norrie comes knocking on heavens door' Slainté Jim

BRUICHLADDICH

14 Jahre alt

50.2 %

Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Sherry Cask Finish
VORHER
Keinerlei Zusatz von Farbstoffen
Nicht kältegefiltert
200 ml abgefüllt
Handabgefüllt von Klaus Pinkernell
Eigentümer, am 01.03.07 Berlin
FISHKY das erste Heringfinish

Bei meinem ersten Besuch auf der Insel Islay in Oktober 1992 gelang er mir, in der Bruichladdich Brennerei ein Fass Bruichladdich new make, also frisch destillierten Brand, zu erwerben.

Dieser lagerte bis zur Wiedereröffnung der Brennerei im Jahre 2001 in einem ex-bourbon Fass

Dank der Unterstützung eines Freundes konnte ich den Whisky im Herbst 2001 in ein Sherry - Hogshead umfüllen.

Weitere 5 Jahre vergingen und im Alter von 14 Jahren habe ich mir das ganze Fass, mit Umwegen über Campbeltown, nach Berlin schicken lassen.

BRUICHLADDICH

14 Jahre alt

50.2 %

Single Malt Scotch Whisky
HERRING CASK FINISH
FISHKY
Salted Herring
Keinerlei Zusatz von Farbstoffen
Nicht kältegefiltert
200 ml abgefüllt
Handabgefullt von Klaus Pinkernell
Eigentümer, am 01.03.07 Berlin
FISHKY das erste Heringfinish

Selbstverständlich ist das Experiment mit einem, so denke ich, hervorragende WHisky durchgeführt worden. In kleine Mengen gibt es daher auch die 'Vorher': Destilliert und gekauft in der Bruichladdich Brennerei, Islay, 14 Jahre alt, davon zuletzt 5 Jahre im Sherryfass gereift.

Beide Versionen haben Fassstärke von 50.2 % vo, und keinerlei Zusatz von Farbstoffen und nicht kältegefiltert.

BRUICHLADDICH

X 4

50 %

QUADRUPLE DISTILLED
BRUICHLADDICH NEW SPIRIT
From an original 1695 recipe
Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay

A truly Progressive Islay spirit, quadruple – distilled in our original high – necked

victorian copper stills

This is how spirit was original made in the western isles of Scotland according to

our 1695 hebridean recipe – The original Islay spirit

BRUICHLADDICH

Aged 6 years

63,5 %

SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
FROM A SINGLE CASK
Distilled July 2002
1 of only 259 bottles
Society Single Cask No: 23.62
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, the Vaults
Leith, Edinburgh
A feisty tongue - fizzer
The nose has lemon, apple and buttery fudge with doughnuts, in reduction, apple pie and

Custard, and later, eucalyptus. The palate, a feisty tongue – fizzer, has buttery appel notes

and subtle smoke; water brings lemon zest to balance the vanilla sweetness

We, the Tasting Panel, verify that the Scotch Malt Whisky inside this bottle has been passed

under some of the most scrupulous noses in the world and approved for release as a Society

bottling. Only single cask whiskies that promise to intrigue, entertain and delight our members

are selected, true to our motto; “To leave no nose upturned”

Evidence of the quality of whisky since this distillery re – opened in 2001; the nose was not

vastly complex, but pleasant, with lemon puffs and green apple freshness sitting along –side

buttery fudge and jam doughnuts. The unreduced palate had feisty, tongue – zapping fizz,

with apple snow, buttery notes and subtle smoke. The reduced nose had the lovely sweetness

of apple pie and custard; later suggesting eucalyptus. The palate retained all that vanilla sweet-

ness, balanced by hints of smoke and some light bitterness (green wood, lemon zest and sherbet)

We thought this spritzy, aperitif dram from the Rinns was stunning for its age

BRUICHLADDICH

46 %

2 0 0 3
ORGANIC
ANNS AN T - SEANN DOIGH
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Natural whisky: Distilled, Matured and Bottled
Un - Chill Filtered and Colouring free at
Bruichladdich Distillery, Isle of Islay
Progressive Hebridean Distillers
A century ago most barley was organically grown.

Natural fertilisers – seaweed, peat and manure – were harnessed in a way that respected

the year’s agricultural cycle.

Industrialised farming cut the once intimate relationship of man, soil, crop life.

Using our original Victorian distilling equipment and Culblair farm’s organic barley,

we have turned the clock back to a simpler, more genuine age.

Certified organic by: G B Organic Certification 6.

BRUICHLADDICH
Matured for 20 years

46 %
THE ULTIMATE SINGLE
MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Distilled: 03 / 04 / 92
Matured in a Hogshead
Cask no: 1383
Bottled: 03 / 04 / 12
315 Numbered Bottles
Selected by The Ultimate Whisky Company, NL
Bottled in Scotland

BRUIDCHLADDICH

46 %
1 9 9 2
Matured for 20 years
Islay Single Malt
THE ULTIMATE SINGLE MALT
SCOTCH WHISKY
Distilled: 25/11/92
Matured in a Hogshead
Cask no: 3690
Bottled: 03/06/13
372 Numbered Bottles
Natural colour
Non Chill Filtered
Selected by The Ultimate Whisky Company.NL

BRUIDCHLADDICH
50 %
SCOTTISH BARLEY
THE CLASSIC LADDIE
UNPEATED ISLAY SINGLE MALT
SCOTCH WHISKY
07 August 2013
Distilled, matured and Bottled
Un - Chill Filtered and Colouring - Free
At Bruichladdich Distillery
Islay of Islay

BRUICHLADDICH
2 0 0 6
Aged 6 years

50 %
KYNAGARRY FARM
ACHABA, ACHFAD FIELDS
SECOND EDITION
UNPEATED ISLAY SINGLE MALT
SCOTCH WHISKY
Bruichladdich Islay Single Malt
Progressive Hebridean Distillers
Travel Retail Exclusive 15.600 Bottles
Distilled, Matured and Bottled
Un - Chill Filtered and Colouring Free
At Bruichladdich Distillery,
Isle of Islay
It is our mission to pursue The Ultimate Pedigree, Provenance and Traceability of our
Raw Materials - chief of which is our Barley - and to push The Boundaries of the
Concept of Terroir in Artisanal Single Malt Whisky.
A uniquely fascinating exploration of the influence of terroir on artisanal single malt whisky.
The "micro - provenance" takes us far from the usual territory occupied by commercial
distillers. But we believe it's important - once again, land and dram united.
We believe Terroir Matters
We believe in Islay
We believe in People
We believe
In Authenticity, Provenance and traceability
We believe in Slow
We believe
In Challenging
Convention
We believe in The
Soul of the Artisan

BRUICHLADDICH 2 0 0 6

Aged 6 years 50 %

KYNAGARRY FARM ACHABA,
ACHFAD FIELDS
SECOND EDITION
BRUICHLADDICH UBER PROVENANCE SERIES

Since we first rescued this fantastic distillery from years of neglect. It has been our mission
to pursue the ultimate pedrigree provenance and tracebility of our raw materials - chief
of which is our barley - and to push the boundaries of the concept of terroir in artisanal
single malt whisky.
Bere - gramineae hordeum vulgare is the world"s oldest cultivated cereal. It was brought
to the Hebrides by norse invaders in the 9th century from its ancient origins of the fertile
crescent where it originated a good five thousand years earlier.
Ideally suited to impoverished, sandy soils and the short hebridean growing season, but
subject to strong winds, it yields less than 50 % of a modern croft - and the bulky grain
has proved quite exceptionally. Resistant to milling and mashing, wreaking havoc with
our victorian equipment - truly viking D N A!
This is the barley that produced the original "Usque - Baugh"the water of live - the grain
and the knowledge of distilling it. Carried on viking lon longboat from Mesopotamia via
the black sea and the mighty rivers of eastern europe to the baltic. Thence to norway,
orkney and finally to the heabrides, 1200 years of distilling in a bottle.
"Once again Land and Dram united"
Jim McEwan Head Distiller

The traditional Bruichladdich is made from Optic Scottish barley and at 5 ppm

8 varieties of barley are used, al exclusive Scottish: Optic is the main variety,

the past favourite is Golden promise, Chalice is Islay – grown and organic,

Bere is the orginal barley, Troon, Riviera and Oxbridge early ripening barley

and Flagon a winter barley and coming from 16 different farms; on Islay

the farms are Kentraw, Rockside, Kynagarry, Octomore, Claggen, Mulindry,

Island, Starchmill.

The mainland barley comes from Coulmore, Flemington, Morayston, Lonnie and

Castle Stuart farms in Ross – shire, Coulblair on the Black Isle, Tullibardine Mains

Farm in Perthshire and Wyland farm on Orkney.

Port Charlotte was first produced in 2001 and named after the old distillery that

was closed in 1929 and is heavily peated in the orginal 1881 style of Bruichladdich

at 40 ppm and it uses also Optic Scottish barley

Octomore is a farm on the hills above Port Charlotte and first made in 2002 and is 80 ppm and uses Optic Scottish barley.

Organic was first distilled at the end of December 2003 and made from barley har-

vested in Ross – shire, Perthshire, Inverness, Black Isle and of course Islay.

Islay – grown from Chalice barley. Distilled from the crop of Kentraw Farm above

Lochindaal

Triple Distilled first produced in July 2005 “Trestarig” at 84 %.

Quadruple Distilled The X 4 was made for the first time in March 2006 at 90 %

Lochindaal was the original name for Port Charlotte Distillery and was first distilled

in 2007 at Bruichladdich Distillery and is more peated than the PC 6 and less than

Octomore

BRUICHLADDICH

BERE BARLEY 2 0 0 8

WEYLAND & WATERSIDE, RICHMOND VILLA,

SKELBISTER AND NORTFIELD FARMS,

ORKNEY

50 %

Est. 1881

Travel Retail Exclusive

Unpeated Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Orkney Bere Barley

‘Once again Land and Dram united

Jim McEwan Head Distiller

Distilled, Matured and Bottled Un Chill – Filtered and Colouring Free

at Bruichladdich Distillery Isle of Islay

Since we first resurrected this fantastic distillery from years of neglect. It has been our mission

to persuethe ultimate pedigree provenance and traceability of our raw materials – chief of

which is our Barley – and to push the boundaries of the concept of terroir in artisanal single

malt whisky.

Bere is an ancient Barley Landrace. Discoveries of similar grains in the Neolithic village of

Skara Brae on Orkney, reach back to the dawn of scottish agriculture and civilisation more

than 45.00 years ago

Bruichladdich uber Provenance series.

In spite of the cool Orkney climate Bere grows fast, it has long straw prone to brackling in strong winds, an

produces desperately low yields - 50 % less than a modern grop. The small starch –

rich grains have tested the mashmen. Wreaking havoc with our precious Victorian equipment.

This is Spirit from another place and time. A sensory Journey to another age> It is probable that

Bere produced the original ‘Úisgebeatha’. The Water of Live – for hundreds of years it was used

by enterprising scottish distillers producing both legal and illicit whisky.

This 2007 crop was grown on Orkney and supplied by The Agronomy Institute at Orkney College

uhi working with the following local farmers: Duncan Cromarty at Richmond Villa on South

Ronaldsay, Keith Hourton at Skelbister in Orphir and Magnus Spence from The Northfield on

Burray.

Distilled in Febrary 2008 at Bruichladdich Distilleryon the Isle of Islay. This Bere Barley has

produced a single malt of quite singular character . Ultimate orginality and exceptional

provenance.

We believe terroir matters

We believe in Islay

We believe in people

We believe

in authencity, provenance and traceability

we believe in slow

we believe in challenging convention

We believe in the soul of the artisan

BRUICHLADDICH

Est. 1881

PROGRESSIVE HEBRIDEAN DISTILLERS

UNPEATED ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

2 0 0 9 50 %

ISLAY BARLEY

CLAGGAN, CRUACH, ISLAND AND MULINDRY FARMS

Islay Barley 2009 Edition

“Once again, Land and Dram united”.

Uber Provenance Islay Barley Series

Distilled, Matured and Bottled Un-Chillfiltered and Colouring Free

at Bruichladdich Distillery, Isle of Islay

It is our mission to persue the ultimate pedigree, provenance and traceability of our raw

materials – chief of which is our barley – and to push the boundaries of the concept of

terroir in artisanal single malt whisky.

We have a passionate belief in our barley. No mere commodity.It is the essential raw

material of single malt whisky – from this cereal the most flavour complex spirit in the

world is made. For us it is the living expression of the land that gave birth to it. Of the

terroir that influences its growth and of the men who nurtured it.

A uniquely fascination exploration of the influence of terroir on single malt whisky. This

“uber – provenance” takes us far from the usual territory occupied by commercial dis –

tillers, but we believe it’s important once again land and dram united.

A steadily increasing number of the island’s farmers have risen tot the challenge since the pioneering day’s o

2004 mutually supportive and often sharing equipment and know how.

They have shouldered the risk and brought the harvest home. They can be justly proud of their archievements.

This 2009 vintage was distilled from grain in 2008 by Gilbie Maccormick of Claggan, Hunter

Jackson at Cruach, Ian Mckerrell of Island and Alastair Torrance from Mulindry. These farms

are centrally located on the island providing a very different terroir to the wild maritime lo-

cation of our 2007 release from Rockside.

Every year is different each fresh vintage a new chapter in the unfolding story. A cool, dry

spring in 2008 gave way to a warm summer with plenty of sunshine to ripen the grain but

long days of early september rain delayed things for a while. Then there was the exitement

as the combines finslly started to roll.

The varieties planted were publican and oxbridge. Not the highest yielding grains but highly

regarded by the malsters. The spirit run was muscular and clean while in the glas the whisky

exhibits the colour of golden hay with the nose and palate to transport you to our hebridean

island home.

We believe in islay / we believe in people / we believe in authenticity, provenance and trace –

ability / we believe in slow / we believe in challenging convention / we believe in the soul of

the artisan.

BRUICHLADDICH

Est. 1881

PROGRESSIVE HEBRIDEAN DISTILLERS

UNPEATED ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

2 0 1 0

6 year old 50 %

ISLAY BARLEY

COULL, CRUACH, DUNLOSSIT, ISLAND, MULINDRY,

ROCKSIDE, STARCHMILL & SUNDERLAND FARMS

Islay Barley 2010 Edition

“Once again, land and Dram united”

Uber Provenance Islay Barley Series

Distilled, Matured and Bottled, Un – Chillfiltered and

Colouring Free at Bruichladdich Distillery, Isle of Islay.

This is a thought – provoking uber provenance single malt whisky. It was created

with spirit trickle distilled from barley grown in the fields of our remote scottish

island home. For us it is the land incarnate our passionate belief in the power of

terroir made manifest.

Islay is a land of family farms and the men and women who till the soil. Here have

shouldered significant risks to join us on an inspirational journey of sensory ex –

ploration. This is a spirit that captures their work and speaks of the earth. Trough

their labour, land and dram are united.

Every year the crops that bend toatlantic storms alongside the farmers traditional

herds of rugged beef cattle are distilled separately at our manually operated vic –

torian distillery. This generates a sequence of individual whisky vintages that are

very different to industrially homogenised brands.

Our harsh climate and salt – soaked hebridean soils mean that yields per acre are

always low. But the challenge , the exitement draws new adventurers every year.

In 2009 we were joined by Andrew Jones, Hunter Jackson, Raymond Fletcher, Ian

Mckerrell, Alastair Torrange, Mark French, Ian Torrance and Raymond Stewart.

A cold dry spring helped with sowing barley varities Optic and Oxbridge but strong

growth through a gentle June and July was treathened by relentless August rain.

As the grain slowly ripened flocks of wild geese took their toll alongside herds of

red deer. Miraculously the clouds then rolled away and a warm dry September

allowed the combines to roll.

The spirit ran clean and rich and malty from our tall narrow – necked stills before

being filled into ex – Bourbon casks and matured in our warehouses by Loch Indaal.

It is bottled at six years old to preserve the nuances of the grain and celebrate the

fascinating characteristics of this evocative single harvest.

We believe in islay / we believe in people / we believe in authenticity, provenance and

traceability / we believe in slow / we believe in challenging convention / we believe

in the soul of the artisan.

BRUICHLADDICH

Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

PROGRSSIVE HEBRIDEAN DISTILLERS

THE ORGANIC 2 0 0 9

UNPEATED

50 %

MID COUL FARMS, DALCROSS

High Provenance Single Estate Organic Barley

Certified Organic by the Biodynamic

Agricultural Association

Conceived, Distilled, Matured and Bottled

Un – Chillfiltered and Colouring Free at

Bruichladdich Distillery Isle of Islay

Adam Hannett Head Distiller.

Mid Coul Farms, Dalcross. Farmer: William Rose.

Mid Coul has been farmed by the Rose family since 1912. Now entirely Organic. This

progressive 2.755 Acre Estate has a closed – loop fertility system that generates

electricity using an anaerobic digester while allowing almost all waste material to be

recycled as fertilizer.

Bruichladdich Barley Provenance Series

Since day one at Bruichladdich the intEgritty and provenance of our barley has been

paramount. This series explores the esoteric diversity of our essential raw material.

The whisky we distill from the Organic Barley of Mid Coul reflects the complex natural

flavours of the landscape, just as our stillmen refuse to abandon the traditional crafts

of distillation in favour of automation or industrialization, so farmer William Rose

rejects the use of herbicides, pesticides and artificial fertilisers.

Crop rotation is key, our Barley must take its turn in a seven year farm cycle that also

produces Organic cattle sheep, oats, beans, grass, carrots, market gardening and a

megawatt of green electricity. Respecting the land, the soil and the climate nourishes

a genuine and thorough understanding of terroir and the results are pure Bruichladdich.

Rich complex and a fascinating expression of provenance we can sense, feel and taste.

The results in the glass. Once again land and dram united.

BRUICHLADDICH

26 Glorious years old

X O P

xtra old particular

48.0 %

Natural Cask Strenght

Islay Region

From One Single Cask

Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Distilled at

Bruichladdich Distillery

Distilled October 1991

Bottled November 2017

N0 III of only 301

Hand Filled Bottles

One Refill Hogshead

DL12259

No Colouring

& No Chill – Filtration

Distilled, Matured & Bottled in

Scotland

Speiclally Selected from the

Douglas Laing & Co. Vaults

Douglas Laing & Co. Ltd

Glagow. Est 1948

BRUICHLADDICH

1 9 8 8

50 %

15 years old

The Sophisticated Islay Malt

Distilled on 11/02/1988

SINNSEAR

FIRST RELEASE

Limited Edition Bottling

An exceptional hand – crafted bottling

By Jim McEwan from outstanding casks

Cask type: 100 % Bourbon

1000 Numbered Bottles

Caramel free

Non Chill Filtered

Distilled, matured & Bottled on Islay

at The Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay

Eilean Mo Chridhe

Clachan A Choine

This cuvee known by its Gaelic title meaning, ‘forefathers’, shows the pioneers who made

the whisky in the 1880’s shortly after the distillery opened. Limited exclusively to Malt

Crusaders, this release of 1000 bottles the world’s first live malt whisky web tasting.

Selected by Jim McEwan and bottled, using Islay spring water at 50 % in the Distillery, it

is caramel free and non chill filtered

This exclusivebottling is not for general release.

“Brook – Laddie” ( Gaelic for ‘raised beach’) is a privately owned distillery run by true

artisans, on Scotland’s west coast island of Islay.

Natural Whisky distilled from lightly peated barley for maximum Atlantic freshness

Distilled, matured and bottled on Islay at the Bruichladdich Distillery

Non chill – filtered and caramel free to maximize aroma, weight and depth of flavours

Hand crafted by Jim McEwan from personally selected casks

Adding some still spring water may cloud the whisky, but will release the full compexxity

of flavours

BRUICHLADDICH

1 6 SIXTEEN years

46 %

THE LADDIE SIXTEEN

The Definitive American – Oak

Matured Bruichladdich and our

Flagship Sixteen – year - old

UNPEATED ISLAY SINGLE MALT

SCOTCH WHISKY

Non Chill – Filtered

Colouring free

Jim McEwan Head Distiller

Distilled, Matured and Bottled at

Bruichladdich Distillery, Isle of Islay

Progressive Hebridean Distillers

Our heart, our soul, our spirit, our whiskies.

This spirit was distilled in a way that rarely exists these days. A 130 – year – old inspirationas

set up of wooden washbacks, open mashtuns, and tall narrow – necked stills ( one the oldest

in Scotland) slow natural fermentation trickle distillation then the spirit given time to reflect

on its terroir and its provenance.

This, our classic 16 – year – old, has been in vaniila – rich casks coopered from American white oak, stowed away in our Loch – side warehouses, slumbering, maturing, coming of

age….All the time breathing the invigorating marine airof this Hebridean island. This is classic

spirit with the “ Laddie” 10 and the 22 it shares a genealogie, a lineage and a philosohy

that is the very essence of Bruichladdich

BRUICHLADDICH

1 9 8 9

49,7 %

BLACK ART

EDITION 02.2

Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

21 Aged years

Non Chill – Filtered

Colouring Free

Distilled, Matured and Bottled at

Bruichladdich Distillery, Isle of Islay

Progressive Hebridean Distillers.

DON DECIPIET, DEQUE IPSE DECIPIETUR.

Aqua, Agua Vitae, Eguis, Luna, Omnia ab Una, Mutatio.

The second release showcasing the spellbinding craft of head distiller Jin McEwan.

Another rare, beguiling and complex spirit, a mystery of distiller and cooper’s art.

Indeed a work of alchemy, the dark secrets of which jim will not reveal.

BRUICHLADDICH

50 %

ISLAY BARLEY

2 0 0 6

CHALICE BARLEY

DUNLOSSIT FARM

CEANNACROIG

UNPEATED ISLAY SINGLE MALT

SCOTCH WHISKY

Natural Whisky, Distilled, Matured

and Bottled, Un – Chill filtered and

Colouring – Free at

Bruichladdich Distillery, Isle of Islay

Chalice Barley, harvested September and distilled November 2006. Grown on the Jubilee at Field the place known as the “Headland of the Gallows”. On Dunlossit Farm.

Dunlossit Farm is owned by one of our Bruichladdich shareholders, The Schroeder Family

and tended by farmer Jim Logan.

Here on the eastern side of the island, at a elevation of 110 metres, there are small patches

of fertile soil amongst the rocky outcrops, tilled since Neolithic times into a rich fertile loam.

Evidence of Islay’s earliest settlers dated to 8.000 B C was found here in 2011.

Islay, the most fertile of the Hebrides, was once home to 20 distilleries. 4000 acres of land

was manually reclaimed by great human effort to grow malting barley.

Later, more modern distilleries required even larger volumes and these were imported by

Puffer. Local production ultimately ceased after WW . The link was lost.

Our aim and our mission is to source as much barley as possible from Islay. Today 16 Islay

Farms grow for us. Their harvest kept separate from barley to barrel – A variety of terroirs

that is as it is unprecedented in Scotland and the industrial world of Scotch whisky.

We have a passionate belief in our barley, no mere commodity, it is the essential, raw material of single malt whisky – from this cereal, the most complex spirit in the world

is made.

For us it is a living organic expression of the land that gave birth to it, of the terroir that

Influences its growth and of the men who nurthered it.

A uniquely fascination exploration of the influence of terroir on artisanal single malt whisky.

This “micro provenance”is far from commercial distilling, but we believe it’s important –

one again land and dram united.

BRUICHLADDICH

X 4 +

3 Aged Years

63.5 %

QUADRUPLE DISTILLED

Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

USQUEBAUCH – BAUL PERILOUS SPIRIT

Nataural whisky distilled, matured and bottled

Un – chill filtered and colouring free at

Bruichladdich Distillery, Isle of Islay, Argyll

Progressive Hebridean Distiller

Bruichladdich Progressive Hebridean Distillers

An original and ancient Islay recipe.

Usquebauch – Baul: The Perilous Spirit

The legendary quadruple – distilled Bruichladdich spirit, recreated from an original and

ancient Islay recipe as described by Martin Martin in 1695 – The Spirit of our Forefathers -.

Quadruple distilled on Islay’s Atlantic coast at Bruichladdich distillery from an original 1695 recipe.

Distilled in our original high – necked Victorian copper stills. This X 4 expression has been

aged for three years in Quercus Alba, select American oak, by the Atlantic shore of Islay.

Islay

BRUICHLADDICH

LIGHT, GRASSY, MALTY

Bruichladdich werd gebouwd in 1881 door de broers John Gourlay, Robert en William Harvey, het geld voor de onderneming kwam van hun vader William Harvey Jr, eigenaar van de Yoker en Dundashill distilleerderijen.Het was een periode van enorme expansie voor de Schotse whiskyindustrie, blended whiskies werden over de gehele wereld gedronken en dit leidde tot de bouw van nieuwe distilleerderijen.

Maar de omslag kwam al aan het eind van de vorige eeuw, het publiek begon om lichtere whiskies te vragen en de whiskies van Islay werden minder gevraagd door de blenders. De jaren van grote expansie kwamen ten einde, en ingeluid door het bankroet van de Pattisons te Leith in December 1898 de gehele markt inelkaar stortte. De gevolgen waren enorm, veel distilleerderijen sloten, makelaars, blenders, handelaren en banken gingen bankroet.

Het aandelenkapitaal van Bruichladdich Distillery Co. (Islay) Ltd was in 1886 £ 24.000.

Waren er in 1899 161 distilleerderijen in Schotland, waren dit er in 1908 nog 132.

De Distillers Company Ltd, (D.C.L.) gevormd in 1877 door het samengaan van distilleerderijen in de Lowlands, saneerden de whiskyindustrie gedurende de volgende jaren, door distilleerderijen op te kopen, deze te sluiten en de gigantische whiskyvoorraden langzaam af te bouwen.

De Harveys werden in 1901, gedurende de depressie na de Boerenoorlog in Zuid-Afrika, benaderd door de D.C.L. om hun Dundashill distilleerderij, die juist was omgebouwd tot een patent - still distilleerderij, over te nemen.

De Harveys weigerden en sloten Dundashill en verkleinden hun belang in de Yoker distilleerderij, tot die in 1906 werd gesloten.

In 1903 werden de Harveys overgenomen door de D.C.L. Bruichladdich sloot in 1929

In 1937 werden de Harveys uitgekocht door Joseph Hobbs voor £ 23.000. Joseph Hobbs, een Schot, had een fortuin verdiend en verloren tijdens de Amerikaanse drooglegging Hij was een tijd lang de verkoopagent van de Distillers Company Limited voor Canada .Ook had hij een schip, de Littlehorn, dat een keer 130.000 kisten Teachers whisky ververvoerde van Antwerpen naar San Francisco.

Joseph Hobbs voorzag dat er eens een einde zou komen aan de drooglegging in Amerika, en met geldelijke hulp van National Distillers of Amerika, die via hun blending firma Train & Mclntyre, die een dochteronderneming bezaten in Associated Scottish Distillers, distilleerderijen op gingen kopen, om te profiteren van de verwachte vraag naar Schotse whisky na de drooglegging. Compagnons van Joseph Hobbs waren Hatim Attari, een financier en Alexander Tomie.

Het uiteindelijke resultaat was dat Glenury Royal, Glenlochy, North Esk, (Old) Fetter-cairn, Benromach, Strathdee, Ben Nevis en Bruichladdich in hun bezit kwamen.

Bruichladdich was gedurende de tweede wereldoorlog tot 1944 gesloten.

In 1952 werd Bruichladdich verkocht aan de whiskymakelaars Ross and Coulter.

De Distillers Company Ltd nam Train & Mclntyre in 1953 over.

In 1960 werden de blenders A.B. Grant te Glasgow de eigenaars van Bruichladdich, die de distilleerderij moderniseerden en uitbreidden.

In 1969 werd A.B. Grant's Bruichladdich Proprietors Ltd overgenomen door Invergordon Distillers Ltd.

De Invergordon graandistilleerderij werd in 1961 gebouwd door Frank Thomson, een kleurrijk en extrovert figuur met als doel werkgelegenheid te brengen in dit deel van Schotland.

Naderhand traden tot de onderneming toe Charles Craig en Chris Greig, die The Invergordon Grain Distillery omvormden tot een onderneming met een veel groter omvang en bereik.

In 1965

werd in de graandistilleerderij een

maltdistilleerderij gebouwd, Ben Wyvis.

In 1966

werd Tamnavulin gebouwd, Bruichladdich

werd in 1969 overgenomen en Tullibardine

en Deanston in 1972.

In 1984

werd R. Morrison & Co Ltd overgenomen,

de makers van Glayva whiskylikeur.

In 1985

werd Charles Mackinlay & Co, Ltd gekocht

van Scottish & Newcastle Breweries.

In die overname behoorden ook de twee

maltdistilleerderijen Isle of Jura en Glenallachie.

De laatste werd gesloten en wat later verkocht

aan House of Campbell, het eigendom van

Pernod Ricard S.A.

The Invergordon Group is ook de eigenaar van

Findlater Mackie Todd & Co, Ltd, die international

Findlater's Scotch Whisky en Mar Lodge een

vatted malt net succes verkopen.

In 1988

was er een management buy-out

en in

Oktober 1991

was er een mislukt bod

van Whyte & Mackay van £ 350.000.000.

In 1961

waren de moutvloeren al gesloten

van Bruichladdich en in

1975

werd het aantal

met stoom gestookte ketels uitgebreid tot zes,

met een capaciteit van 1,1 miljoen liter spirit per

jaar.

In 1983,

toen veel distilleerderijen (tijdelijk) werden

gesloten werd er te Bruichladdich een arbeidstijd

verkorting ingevoerd.

Invergordon Distillers werd in 1993 overgenomen door Whyte & Mackay en Bruichladdich werd gesloten.

Intussen heeft Highland Distillers, ook de eigenaars van Glen Rothes, maar deze malt whisky op de markt brengt via Berry Bros & Rudd, eigenaren van het merk Cutty Sark, erin toegestemd om de blend Whyte & Mackay ook via Berry Bros & Rudd, alsmede de single malt whiskies Isle of Jura en Dalmore naast The Famous Grouse en The Macallan te gaan vermarkten.

Op 15 October 1993 sluit American Brands, eigenaar van Whyte & Mackay zijn jarenlange jacht op Invergordon af met het bekend maken zijn belang in Invergordon te hebben vergroot van 41,2 % tot 54,7 %. Tevens werd een bot uitgebracht op de resterende aandelen.

De geboden prijs waardeert Invergordon op £ 382,4 miljoen is ƒ 1,05 miljard..

De omzet van Invergordon was in 1992 £ 85.000.000, die van Whyte & Mackay £ 150.000.000 in datzelfde jaar

Met ingang van 3 Maart worden drie van de vier distilleerderijen van Invergordon gesloten, Bruichladdich, Tullibardine en Tamnavulin.Isle of Jura ontspringt de dans.

Bruichladdich is in Mei en Juni 1998 in produktie geweest.

Op 19 December 2000 wordt Bruichladdich door J B B Greater Europe verkocht aan een groep financiers, waaronder landeigenaren op het eiland Islay, onder leiding van Murray McDavid Ltd.

Met de aankoop van £ 6,5 miljoen zijn ook de voorraden begrepen van ongeveer 1,4 miljoen liter whisky met als oudste whisky die van het jaar 1964.

De manager wordt de voormalige Brand Ambassador van Bowmore, Jim McEwan, die ook aandeelhouder wordt.

De distilleerderij gaat vier maanden per jaar open, de produktie begint in April 2001 en men gaat produceren op ongeveer 10 % van zijn capaciteit, het resultaat zal ongeveer 200.000 liter alcohol zijn per jaar.

Er zal ook gebotteld worden in de distilleerderij.

Het water komt van een eigen stuwmeer.

De Mash tun is 6.24 ton.

De zes Wash backs zijn elk groot 35.000 liter.

De twee Wash stills zijn elk 11.500 liter, de twee

Spirit stills elk 10.500 liter en worden met stoom verhit.

Bruichladdich kan 2.000.000 liter spirit per jaar produceren.

Distillery operating hours: 5 days a week, 24 hours a day

bottling hall 7 days a week

Number of emplyees: 24 (including part-time emplyees)

Water source: Bruichladdich reservoir (brewing water);

Bruichladdich burn (cooling water):

James Brown's spring (dilution water)

Water reserve: est. 9 million gallons

Water colour: brown (Bruichladdich

reservoir);clear (James Brown's spring)

Peat content of water: trace (Bruichladdich

reservoir);zero (James Brown's spring)

Malt source: Bairds of Inverness

(Bruichladdich, Octomore); Port Ellen

(Port Charlotte)

Own floor maltings : none

Malt type: Optic and organic Chalice

Malt specification phenols:

Bruichladdich 3-4 ppm (8-10 ppm in 2001)

Port Charlotte: 40 ppm,

Octomore:

68.2 ppm (2002): 129 ppm (2003)

Finished spirit phenols:

Bruichladdich: trace Port Charlotte:

20-25 ppm

(estimate) Octomore: 29.6 ppm

(2002); 46.4 ppm (2003)

Malt storage: 180 tonnes

Mill type: Boby, installed 1881

Grist storage: 14 tonnes

Mash tun construction :

cast-iron; rake and plough

Mash size: 7 tonnes

First water: 24.230 litres at 65o C

Second water: 12.488 litres at 86o C

Third water: 16.775 litres at 88o C

Fourth water:16.775 litres at 93o C

Number of washbacks: 6 (5 operated in 2003)

Washback construction: Oregon pine

Washback charge: 36.000 litres

Yeast:

Quest cultured yeast to start fermentation;

Mauri cultured yeast to finish fermentation

Amount of yeast: 150 kg per washback

Lenght of fermentation :

60 hours (short week);

06.5 hours (longs: weekend)

Initial fermentation: temperature 21o C

Strenght of wash: 6-7 cent abv

Number of wash stills: 2

Wash stills built: 1:

base original; rest restored; 2: 1975

Wash still capacity: 17.275 litres each

Wash still charge:

12.000 litres (69 per cent of capacity)

Heat source: pans and single steam coil

Wash still height: c. 21 feet 6 inches (6.55 m)

Wash still shape:plain

Lyne arm: gently descending

Lenght of low-wines run: 4 ½ - 5 hours

Low-wines collection range:

average 22.5 per cent

Number of spirit stills: 2

Spirit stills built: 1: late 1940s; 2: 1975

Spirit still capacity: 12.274 litres each

Spirit still charge:

7.100 litres (58 per cent of capacity)

Strenght of spirit still charge: 27 per cent abv

Heat source:pans and two steam coils in each

Spirit still height: c. 20 feet 6 inches (6.25 m)

Spirit still shape: plain (goose-necked)

Lyne arm: gently descending

Purifier: no

Condensers:

four, internally sited: lenght 11 feet 2 inches

(3.41 m), containing 210 half inch (1.25 cm)

copper tubes

Lenght of foreshot run: about 40 minutes

Lenght of spirit run: about 3 hours

Lenght of feints run: about 3 hours 10 minutes

Spirit cut: varies:

on to spirit at between 76 per cent ab and

71 per cent abv;

off at 64 per cent abv

Distilling strenght :

Bruichladdich 72 per cent

Octomore 69-70 per cent

Port Charlotte 71 per cent

Storage strenght :

stored at distilling strenghts

Average spirit yield

401 litres of pure alcohol per tonne of malt

(2003)

Disposal of pot ale and spent lees:

aken to Caol Ila and piped into Sound of Islay

Type of casks filled for branded malt:

about 65 per cent first-fill boubon barrels;

about 25 per cent first-fill sherry hogshead,

remainder rum and wine casks

Current annual output: 320.000 litres of pure alcohol

Number of warehouses:8

(numbered 2, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) plus 4 at

Port Charlotte (as single unit)

Type of warehouses: dunnage (most) and racking (2)

Storage capacity on Islay:35.000 casks

Percentage of branded malt entirely aged on Islay:

100 per cent

Vatting and bottling location: Bruichladdich, Islay

Distillery expressions: 10- year old 12- year old Links

(14- year old) 15- year old, 17- year old, 20- year old ,

Vintage range, Legacy range , Valinch bottlings Babe bottlings

Major blending roles: Black Bottle

The old lady dances again ...

Bruichladdich, pronounced brook-laddie (meaning shore bank), was built on the shores of Loch Indaal in 1881 by the Harvey brothers, Robert and William.

Scotland's most westerly distillery produces a single malt unlike other Islays. It is more sophisticated, with a fantastic range of flavours. Fruit, with superb vanilla sweetness, plus a sprinkle of sea air and a drift of peat fires all combine to give a complexity to the spirit, whihas made it the most populair single malt with the islanders. Could there be a better endorsement?

The Distillery was closed in 1994 and lay sad and silent until Mark Reynier, Gordon Wright and Simon Coughlin of Murray McDavid bought it on 19th December 2000. They were joined by the world renowed Jim McEwan, himself an Islander and twice winner of the Distiller of the Year title.

His team of genuine, talented and passionate people restored this classic beaty to her former glory.

The first spirit ran into the Spirit Safe at 8.26 a.m. on 29th May 2001, a day of pride and joy shared by the 3400 islanders.

An historic day! The old lady dances again.

December 2002

The Distilling Team

Jim McEwan, Master Distiller, three times Distiller of the Year, Jim's right-hand man, and Distiller Manager, is Duncan McGillivray who worked at Bruichladdich for 22 years before is was closed by Whyte & Mackay in 1994 and is now in charge of the team of Jonathan Carmichael, Peter McDermid, John Rennie, The Budge and Neil MacTaggart.

Bruichladdich uses malted barley at a low peat rating of 5 ppm of phenols, Port Charlotte at a heavily peated level of 40 ppm.

The men behind Bruichladdich: Gordon Wright, Simon Coughlin, Andrew Gray, Jim McEwan and Mark Reynier._

Bruichladdich looks difficult to pronounce - try 'brookladdie' (Gaelic for 'hill by the shore').

Built by Branett Harvey in 1881, on the Rhinns coast at the western end of the Hebridean Isle of Islay.

Closed in 1994, rescued 19th December 2000, reopened 29th May 2001. The spirit ran at 8.26 am and the Old Lady danced again !

Islay's only independent Distillery.

A local team, youth and passion alongside talent and experience.

Master Distillers Jim McEwan, an islander and three times Distiller of the Year.

Islay's tallest still necks produce the island's most elegant, sophisticated spirit, no heavy, peaty, medicinal flavours.

Atlantic freshness, the only truly authentic Islay whisky, distilled, matured, and from September 2002 bottled on the island.

Islay spring water is used, a world first, for reduction to the professional's ideal drinking strenght of 46 % volume.

Nothing added, nothing taken away, 100 % natural colour, no caramel to sweeten artificially, darken or standardise.

No chill-filtration, to enhance the flavours and increase the bouquet by leaving natural aromatic oils in plaee.

46 % is the lowest strenght possible for whiskies that are not chill-filtered. Angel's Share:

For a hogshead, at 46 % vol, in 70 cl bottles, after 12 years one would expect around 380 bottles, after 20 years about 290.

Januari 2003

De twintigjarige Bruichladdich is voorlopig uitverkocht en wordt vervangen door de XVII.

De Vintage 46 % 1984 wordt uitgebracht, een Vintage 1970 met 44,2 %, een Vintage 1983 en 1984 allebei in een stenen kruik en een 36 jaar oude Bruichladdich uit 1966 'Legacy' met op het etiket en blik een tekening van de kunstenares Francis MacDonald.

Er komt ter gelegenheid van het feit dat de eerste spirit 's morgens 8.26 uit de ketels kwam, de naam '8.26'. Jaargang 1983, vatnummer 1330.

Jim McEwan heeft samen met het blad Country Magazin een 1986 uitgezocht, terwijl Malcolm Greenwood ook een vat heeft mogen uitzoeken, dat werd een 18 jaar oude Bruichladdich uit 1984, waaruit 500 flessen werden afgevuld, deze whisky kreeg de naam Bruichladdich Enlightement waarbij een herdruk van het voor de eerste maal in 1718 verschene boek 'Practical Distiller - Treatise of Practical Distillation'.

De nieuwe bottel afdeling is in bedrijf genomen.

In October 2002 kwam de eerste zwaar geturfrookte spirit uit de ketels, die wordt te zijnertijd uitgebracht met de naam Octomore.

27 September 2003

'Londen: De Amerikaanse paranoia over terrorisme kent geen grenzen. Zelfs Schotse whiskystokerijen worden door het Pentagon gezien als mogelijke fabrieken van massavernietigingswapens.

De whiskydistilleerderij Bruichladdich op het Schotse eiland Islay is enige tijd door het Pentagon bespioneerd. Dit kwam aan het licht toen het bedrijf aan anonieme E mail kreeg met de vraag een kapotte webcam in de fabriekshal te repareren. De E-mail kwam van het Pentagon dat de distilleerderij via die camera in de gaten hield. Volgens het Pentagon was de spionage nodig omdat de distilleerderij simpel is om te bouwen tot een chemische wapenfabriek.

Distillery Manager Mark Reynier vertelde de B B C later dat ze er verschrikkelijk om hebben gelachen bij Bruichladdich. Een persvoorlichter van het Pentagon verklaarde dat de distilleerderij officieel 'niet interresant is voor de veiligheid van de V.S.'.

September 2004 brengt Bruichladdich een roze malt whisky uit. Flirtation genaamd.

Mark Reynier van Bruichladdich: de drank van twintig jaar oud. heeft gerijpt in vaten waar eerder rode wijn in heeft gelagerd, bedoeling was de whisky een rijpere smaak te geven.

Flirtation wordt gebotteld op de gebruikelijke sterkte van Bruichladdich: 46 %

2005:

Kapaciteit: 1.500.000 liter spirit per jaar

2006:

27 Februari wordt bekend gemaakt dat

Bruichladdich een vier maal gedistileerde

whisky gaat maken met een alcohol percentage

van 92%. Het recept stamt uit een reisboek

van Martin Martin,The Western Islands of Scotland,

geschreven in 1695

Tussen 1994 en 2001 produceerde Bruichladdich

alleen in 1998 gedurende zes weken ongeveer

120.000 liter geturfrookte whisky.

Met de overname kwamen ook 10.000 vaten met

whisky in het bezit van de nieuwe eigenaren,om

meer whisky te kunnen verkopen werden van

blenders nog een 2000 tot 3000 vaten terug gekocht.

In Maart 2004 kwam de eerste spirit, gemaakt van organische Schotse gerst uit de ketels.

Mede door het niet hebben van veel geldmiddelen werd veel gerepareerd inplaats van nieuw aangeschaft.

De origenele Robert Boby maalderij stamt uit 1881, de mash tun, afkomstig van Bunnahabhain en overgenomen in 1900 en één van de wash backs stammen ook uit 1881.

Op 29 Mei 2001 kwam de eerste spirit uit de ketels van Bruichladdich De spirit rijpt in vaten op ketelsterkte.

60 tot 65 % van de gebruikte vaten is Bourbon, 25 % sherry en de rest wijnvaten en andere vaten.

De op 29 Mei gedistilleerde Bruichladdich was licht geturfrookt. Deze spirit komt onder de naam Port Charlotte in de toekomst in de handel.

Op 16 October 2002 kwam een heel zwaar geturfrookte spirit uit de ketels van Bruichladdich die in de toekomst als Octomore in de handel komt.

Sinds 25 Mei 2003 bottelt Bruichladdich zelf zijn whisky.

Het water om de whisky te verdunnen komt van een bron bij Port Charlotte op land dat het eigendom is van James Brown, een boer, die als beloning de titel 'Entertainments Officer' kreeg.

In Mei 2004 kwam Peter Mactaggart als vatenmaker in dienst, de eerste sinds 1966 op Islay.

At Bruichladdich three water sources are used.

For mashing they have their own small (peaty) loch in the hills behind the distillery, which feeds to the buildings below by a Victorian pipeline and into holding reservoirs besid the still house.

For condensing the (peaty) Bruichladdich Burn is used

For bottling a crystal - clear spring nearby at Octomore Farm is used to reduce the strength of the Bruichladdich bottlings from cask strength to 46 per cent

This invigorating water is regulary brought to the surface and tinkered to the distillery by farmer James Brown

Eight varieties of barley are used, all exclusively Scottish

Optic is the main variety, and the past favourite is Golden Promise, then there's Chalice for Islay - grown and organic production, and Bere - the original barley

The early - ripened Troon and Oxbridge varieties are also used, along with the Riviera and winter crop known as Flagon

In addition 16 farm's harvests (from different 'terroirs') are kept separate from field to cask

On Islay the participating farms are: Kentraw, Rockside, Kynagarry, Octomore, Claggan, Muindry, Island and Starchmill

Mainland barley is still critical, however. It is being provided by Coulmore, Flemington, Morayston, Lonnie and Castle Stuart farms in Ross - shire, Coulblair farm on the Black Isle and Tullibardine Mains Farm in Perthshire, as well as Weyland Farm in the Orkneys

The First 'green' Bruichladdich spirit was distilled in 2003, with the barley being harvested, malted, fermented and distilled separately to obtain highly individual spirits

The 'Great Barley Experiment' of 2004 led to crops being grown on three separate farms, from specific fileds with deifferent geology, then mashed, milled, mashed and fermented separately to see the difference

The next 'Great Barley Experiment' was with the ancient Bere variety. It was distilled on Burns Night 25 january 2006, for the first time in the island's memory. Twenty acres were planted on Islay's Dunlossit Estate. Owned by merchant banker Bruno Schroder, and managed by estate manager Chloe Randall

Previous Distillery Managers and Owners:

1881 - 1888:

Robert Harvey / Harvey Family

1889 - 1928:

Robert Harvey / Harvey Family

1929 - 1936 Closed:

Robert Harvey / Harvey Family

1937 :

Kenneth Harvey / Harvey family

1938 :

Commander Macbeth /

Associated Scottish Distillers

(National Distillers of America)

1939 - 1940 :

Bob Watt /

Associated Scottish Distillers

(National Distillers of America)

1941 - 1945 : Closed

Bob Watt /

Associated Scottish Distillers

(National Distillers of America)

1946 -1951 :

Bob Watt /

Associated Scottish Distillers

(National Distillers of America)

1952 - 1959 :

Sandy Raitt / Ross and Coulter Ltd

1960 - 1967 :

Peter Logie / Alexander Grant

1968 - 1971 :

Peter Logie /

Invergordon (Hawker Sydley)

1972 - 1975 :

Ian Allen / Invergordon (Hawker Sydley)

1976 -1993 :

Ian Allen / Invergordon (Hawker Sydley)

1994 :

Ian Allen / Invergordon (Whyte & Mackay)

1995 - 1998 : Closed

Willy Tait / Invergordon (Whyte & Mackay -

Jim Beam Brands)

1999 - 2000 : Closed

Michael Heads / Invergordon

(Whyte & Mackay- Jim Beam Brands)

2001 :

Duncan McGillivray /

Bruichladdich Distillery Co, Ltd

55°47’20.99”N / 6°27’40”W

GROWING ISLAY BARLEY

COULL FARM, ISLE OF ISLAY, SCOTLAND

PROGRESSIVE

IT’S A STATE OF MIND

WE RESPECT THE PAST BUT DON’T LIVE IN ITS SHADOW. WE BELIEVE IN INNOVATION AND PROGRESS, WHILE STRIVING TO CREATE INTRIGUING SPIRIT – A SPIRIT WITH FLAWLESS INTEGRITY AND PROVENANCE. WE ARE CURIOUS AND RESTLESS – WE NEVER LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE.

We believe in asking questions, in moving forward regardless of industry convention or the status quo. We continue to rebel against the staid world of Scotch whisky. We pioneer the foraging movement in gin. Confronting transparency, and reconnecting with nature.

This is not one distillery with one style of spirit; this is one project to break every boundary, to challenge every convention.

HEBRIDEAN

A SENSE OF PLACE

OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR ISLAND, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR WORKFORCE IS TOTAL, BUT UNDERPINNING EVERYTHING IS THE QUALITY OF OUR SPIRIT. OVER THIS, THERE CAN BE NO COMPROMISE.

Any artisanal, living product should speak of the place from which it comes, of the people who have created and nurtured it; of the soil, the air, the geography that influence it – of PLACE. These are the reasons we distil, mature and bottle only on Islay. Our commitment to keeping as much of our process here, is not just about protecting that signature salt-citrus tang which comes from Islay maturation. It is also in a commitment to our local community, to providing professional jobs for our locals, and in developing out talent from our remote island home.

Hebridean may refer to Islay and its position as the southernmost island in the inner Hebrides but our position in an archipelago of western islands is not what defines us. We are more than a grid reference on a map. Hebridean runs through our people and our values, those that shape who we are and the decisions we make.

In our community, longevity is valued over speed or symbols of status. Barter thrives. Collective memory, common ownership, gentle defiance, proud non-conformism. These have always been the ways in these Western Isles, but they are threads that still run through our society.

REAL PLACE, REAL PEOPLE

PROVENANCE AND TRACEABILITY

ISLAY TERROIR, BARLEY TO BOTTLE

PROUDLY INDEPENDENT

ADAM HANNET, DUNCAN MCGILLIVRAY & JIM MCEWAN

DISTILLERS

EXPERTISE THAT HAS BEEN EARNED

THERE ARE MANY WHO WOULD SEE WHISKY DISTILLING AS AN INDUSTRIAL PROCESS – A MEANS OF STANDARD MANUFACTURE AND NOTHING MORE. WE UNDERSTAND DISTILLING TO BE AN ANCIENT ART, ONE THAT HAS INTRIGUED THE HUMAN SPIRIT FOR CENTURIES. A BLACK ART, A MYSTERIOUS AND ENIGMATIC ALCHEMY, THAT EXPLORES THE VERY DEPTHS OF THE DISTILLER’S SOUL.

Now-retired Master Distiller Jim McEwan had begun his working life as an apprentice cooper. Duncan McGillivray had come to Bruichladdich as a young fitter and rose to become General Manager. Duncan McFadyen, John Rennie, Neil McTaggart, the list was long. “We were working with whisky legends.”

Highly skilled men, they were determined to make whisky as they too had been taught, by hand, taste, nose and eye. They rejected the onset of modern automation and homogenisation. They would only consider production methods that placed the quality of liquid above everything else.

Now most have retied, but our mission is to preserve their legacy and indeed pass it on to those who will in turn follow us in decades to come.

There is an honesty and an integrity in doing everything here, by hand. It is this manual control of the entire process and the ultimate knowledge of every pipe, every valve, every nuance, that gives us the authority to not only distil three different styles of single malt, but also the first Islay dry gin. It is in our determination to protect our core values, of authenticity, provenance and transparency, that we have earned the right to call ourselves Progressive Hebridean Distillers.

VICTORIAN EQUIPMENT

MINIMAL INTERVENTION

CUVEES CREATED BY TASTE

100% SCOTTISH BARLEY

Bruichladdich uses only Scottish barley – we believe it’s called “Scotch” for a reason.

SLOW:

TRICKLE DISTILLATION

Our stills run at a slow and relatively uncommercial trickle, they won’t be hurried. This helps us create the purest spirit and allows the stillman to more precisely judge his critical “middle cut” – the distilling sweet spot.

ALL BRUICHLADDICH WHISKY IS BOTTLED NATURALLY, UN-CHILL FILTERED AND WITH NO ADDED COLOUR.

This retains the vital natural oils which give our spirit its complex flavour profile and mouthfeel.

E150a is a caramel food colouring. It is often used to standardise colour in the whisky industry. It enables products to appear consistent regardless of the age, type or style of cask a whisky was matured in.

At Bruichladdich we NEVER use E150a. The colour of our whisky is derived only from the casks in which it is matured.

Chill filtration removes the natural oils found in whisky. These are flavour compounds that can form hazes and deposits when stored at low temperatures. However these very same compounds are in part responsible for the complex flavour profile and mouth feel of single malts.

At Bruichladdich we NEVER chill-filter our whiskies. We would rather a haze in the glass than lose the flavour and texture created all those years ago during fermentation and ameliorated over years of maturation

THE STEREOTYPE – AN UNPEATED ISLAY

The island of Islay is home to many world-famous Scotch whisky distilleries, many of whom produce distinctly smokey spirit. Conversely, our Bruichladdich single malts are always unpeated. There is more to Islay than a flavour profile provided by sourcing peated malt. To us, it is in an exclusively Islay distillation, maturation and bottling.

Fully exposed to the power of Atlantic storms, the salt-soaked air permeates the very fabric of our distillery. A fresh marine salt-citrus tang is the signature accent of The Classic Laddie and those who have been here will understand the profound contribution of our Hebridean island home to the development of this great single malt.

NOTHING ADDED, AND NOTHING TAKEN AWAY

There are two widely accepted industrial practices that undermine the authenticity of Scotch: the addition of caramel colouring or e150a, and chill-filtration (the removal of natural oils). We reject both.

Many producers add caramel colouring to standardise the appearance of their whisky, while also making it appear darker than it really is.

All of our whiskies’ colour comes from the cask. Our coated bottles provoke the question, is older and darker better? Or should we rely on other indicators of quality?

Chill-filtering is a cosmetic process that strips whisky of its natural oils. When bottling at 40%, the oils cause cloudiness, so many distillers remove them to improve aesthetics. We would rather have a haze in our glass and retain flavour and viscosity for a maximum mouthfeel.

STRENGTH & CHARACTER

WE BOTTLE OUR CLASSIC LADDIE AT 50% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME AS OPPOSED TO THE AVERAGE OF 40-46%. THE FLAVOUR OF OUR SPIRIT AT 50%ABV IS BARLEY FORWARD, MEANING YOU TASTE MORE OF THE SCOTTISH MALT WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO TRACE. WE WILL NOT STRETCH OUR SPIRIT AND COMPROMISE ON QUALITY FOR THE SAKE OF PROFIT.

October 2009

Bruichladdich Organic is launched and comes from a single varity of barley, from

a single farm and a single year

Labelled as: "Anns an t - seann doigh"is Gaelic for "the way it used to be"

Mark Reynier said that this is a return to the way that whisky was made 200 years

ago and reckon the taste is so unusual that experts won't even know which country it's from.

Mark Reynier: we have 23 farmers in Scotland growing organic barley for us, but each

edition of this whisky comes from just one farm a year - making it the ultimate single malt

Every different edition will grown from a different farm - next year the edition will be a different taste

In this whisky you really tatste the barley, and you don't find that in a single malt much now.

The current edition is distilled from Chalice barley grown by William Rose at Culblair,near Inverness in summer of 2003

P A to Simon Coughin:Jan Reavy

Bottling Hall Processor:Andrew Ritchie

Bottling Hall Processor:Andrew Ross

Bottling Hall processor:Sandra Saul

Assistant Housekeeper:Margaret Shaw

Bottling Hall Processor:David Simpson

Sales / Marketing Administrator:Jim Taylor

I T Manager:Michael Thomson

Shop Assistant / Tour Guide:Helen Walthew

1881

Barnett Harvey builds the distillery

with the money left by his

brother William III to his three sons

William IV, Robert and

John Gourlay. Yoker

The Harvey's already owns Dundashill

distillery in Glasgow

Yoker distillery also in Glasgow

1886

Bruichladdich Distillery Company

is formed, and the distillery

is reconstructed

1929

Bruichladdich closes

1936

The distillery reopens

1938

Joseph Hobbs, Hatim Attari and

Alexander Tolmie purchase

Bruichladdich for 23.000 pound,

through the company Train

& McIntyre.

1938

Bruichladdich becomes part of

Associated Scottish Distillers

1952

Bruichladdich is bought by

Ross & Coulter, Glasgow

1961

From now on the malt comes

from Port Ellen Maltings

1968

Invergordon Distillers takes

Bruichladdich over

1975

From 2 to 4 stills

1983

Bruichladdich closes

1993

Whyte & Mackay buys

Invergordon Distillers

1995

Bruichladdich closes in January

1998

In production again for a few

months then again closed

2000

Murray McDavid buys Bruichladdich

from J B B Greater Europe,

formerly Whyte & Mackay for 6.5

million pound.

1.4 litres of whisky from 1964 and

younger is included in the purchase

2001

Jim McEwan from Bowmore becomes

Production Director

First distillation from Port Charlotte is

on 29th May

First distillation from Bruichladdich is in

July

In September a 10, 15 and 20 years

old are released from old casks

2002

23th October Octomore is distilled at

80 ppm, the world's most

heavily peated whisky

2003

Bruichladdich becomes his own bottling

on site

2004

Second edition of the 20 year old

(nick named) Flirtation

and 3 D also called The Peat Proposal

released

2005

The Second Edition of 3 D, Infinity,

Rocks, Legacy

Series IV, The Yellow Submarine,

Twenty Island

are released

2006

First bottling of Port Charlotte P C 5

2007

Redder Still, Legacy 6, PC 6, 18 year

old are released

2008

More than twenty new releases this year

The first Octomore, Bruichladdich 2001,

PC 7, Golder Still

2009

Classic, Organic, Black Art, Infinity 3,

PC 8, Octomore 2, X4 + 3,

2010

PC Multi Vintage, Organic MV,

Octomore 3- 152,

Bruichladdich 40 years are released

2011

The first 10 years old from own production,

PC 9, Octomore 4 - 167 are released

2012

Octomore and Port Charlotte 10 years old,

Laddie 16- and 22 year, Bere Barley 2nd

edition, Black Art 3 and DNA4,

Remy Cointreau buys Bruichladdich

2013

A Scottish Barley, Islay Barley Rockside

farm, Bere barley 2nd edition, Black Art 4,

Port Charlotte Scottish Barley, Octomore

06.1 and 6.2 are released

2014

PC11, Octomore Scottish Barley are

released

2015

PC 12, Octomore 7.1, High Noon 134

are released

2016

Laddie Eight, Octomore 7.4,

Port Charlotte 2007 CC 01 are

released

2017

Black Art 5, a 25 year old Sherry

Cask, The Limited

Rare Casks Series are launched

2018

Port Charlotte range is revamped,

a 10 year old Islay Barley

are released

2019

Bere Barley 10, Organic 10,

Black Art 7, Octomore 10.1,

10.2, 10.3, 10.4 are released

2020

Capacity: 15.00.000 Ltrs

Ouput: 1.000.000 Ltrs

50 % = Bruichladdich

40 % = Port Charlotte

10 % = Octomore

2020

Port Charlotte OLC01, Port Charlotte

16 year sold and four Octomore Editions

are released

Former Distillery Manager Duncan McGillavry dies

2021

Port Charlotte PAC: o1, Port Charlotte Islay Barley2013,

BruichladdichIslay Barley 2012, Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2011,

Bruichladdich The Organic 2010, also 3 Octomore's are released

2022

The Biodynamic Project, Port Charlotte SC.01, Bruichladdich 1988/30 and Black Art 09.1

are launched

Also 20-30 Barrels of Rye whisky are produced

The traditional Bruichladdich is made from Optic Scottish barley and at 5 ppm

8 varieties of barley are used, al exclusive Scottish: Optic is the main variety,

the past favourite is Golden Promise, Chalice is Islay - grown and organic,

Bere is the orginal barley, Troon, Riviera and Oxbridge early ripening barley

and Flagon a winter barley and coming from 16 different farms; on Islay

the farms are Kentraw, Rockside, Kynagarry, Octomore, Claggen, Mulindry,

Island, Starchmill.

The mainland barley comes from Coulmore, Flemington, Morayston, Lonnie and

Castle Stuart farms in Ross - shire, Coulblair on the Black Isle, Tullibardine Mains

Farm in Perthshire and Wyland farm on Orkney.

Port Charlotte was first produced in 2001 and named after the old distillery that

was closed in 1929 and is heavily peated in the orginal 1881 style of Bruichladdich

at 40 ppm and it uses also Optic Scottish barley

Octomore is a farm on the hills above Port Charlotte and first made in 2002 and is

80 ppm and uses Optic Scottish barley.

Organic was first distilled at the end of December 2003 and made from barley har-

vested in Ross - shire, Perthshire, Inverness, Black Isle and of course Islay.

Islay - grown from Chalice barley. Distilled from the crop of Kentraw Farm above

Lochindaal

Triple Distilled first produced in July 2005 "Trestarig" at 84 %.

Quadruple Distilled The X 4 was made for the first time in March 2006 at 90 %

Lochindaal was the original name for Port Charlotte Distillery and was first distilled

in 2007 at Bruichladdich Distillery and is more peated than the PC 6 and less than

Octomore

Juli 2012

A group of whiskyinvestors coul be in line for a € 25.000.000 pay after French drinks giant

Remy Cointreau revealed that it was in "exclusive talks"to take over the Bruichladdich distillery.

The site, which was mothballed in 1995 and then in 2001 reopened by a team led by Mark

Reynier, a former wine merchant in London.

Remy Cointreau has € 1.000.000.000 to spent following the the sale of its champagne

Business in 2011.

Bruichladdich employs 55 staff.

Bruichladdich secured in 2012 a € 9.5.000.000 finance package from H.S.B.C. to boost

production of single malt whiskies and gin

23 July 2012

French Drinks Company Remy Cointreau

buys Bruichladdich Distillery for 58.000.000

pound

Remy Cointreau pays the 60 investors of

Bruichladdich 48.000.000 pound for their

shares and taking on Bruichladdich's

10.000.000 pound debt.

Mark Reynier, led the group that bought

Bruichladdich for 6,500.000 in 2000

23 Juli 2012

Remy Cointreau neemt Bruichladdich

distilleerderij over voor 58.000.000 pound,

dat houdt in 48.000.000 voor de aandelen

en 10.000 voor uitstaande schulden.

Bruichladdich was op 19 December 2000

overgenomen van Jim Beam voor 6.500.000.

2009

Laddie Classic Edition

2011

Laddie Ten

2012

The Laddie Sixteen 46 % - American Oak

The Laddie Twenty Two 46 % - American Oak

Islay barley 2006 50 %

P C "The Peat project" 46 %

P C 10 years old 46 %

P C 10 Cask Strenght 59.8 %

Octomore 0.5 Ltr 59,5 % - 169 ppm

Er komen Limited Editions:

Single Malt.

Single Barley Variety,

Single Harvest,

Single Field,

The Peat Project vervangt vervangt alle

Port Charlotte versies en naast de leeftijd serie

gaan staan.

De 10 years old Port Charlotte komt uit in

2 versies: 46 % en de P C 10 met 59,8 %

met 6000 flessen, met de naam

"Tro Na Linntean" wat

Through The Generations" betekend.

PROGRESSIVE HEBRIDEAN DISTILLERS

THE BRUICHLADDICH ISLAY BARLEY SERIES

THE BRUICHLADDICH " UBER - PROVENANCE " SERIES

BRUICHLADDICH 2 0 0 6 BERE BARLEY KYNAGARRY FARM ACHABA ACHFAD FIELDS

" Once again Land and Dram united "

This is the barley that produced the original "Usquebauch". The water of life - The Grain

and the knowledge of distilling it. Carried on Viking longboat from Mesopotamia via the

Black Sea and the mighty rivers of eastern Europe to the Baltic. Thence to Norway, Orkney

and finally to the Hebrides. 1200 years of distilling history in a bottle.

Bere - Graminea Hordeum Vulgare - is the world's oldest cultivated cereal. It was brought

crescent where it originated a good 5000 / 6000 years earlier.

Since we first rescued this fantastic distillery from years of neglect, it has been our mission

to pursue rhe ultimate pedigree and traceability of our raw materials - chief of which is our

barley - and to push the boundaries of the concept of terroir artisanal single malt whisky.

Ideally suited to impoverished, sandy soils and the short Hebridean growing season, but

subject to strong winds. It yields less than 50 % of a modern crop - and the bulky grain has

proved quite exceptionally. Resistant to milling and mashing. Wreaking havoc with our

Victorian equipment - truly Viking D N A !

Among the lands on Islay granted by Queen mary in 1562 to James Makconnel of Dunnovaig

and Glennis, was the 16 shilling and eight pence land of "Ochton - Affraiche" which trans-

lated into Gaelic is Ochdamh na Fraiche - the " Eight of Bleakness ". The position of Ochton -

Affraiche is now indicated by Kynagarry - Ceannagaradh in The Gaelic - Meaning.

"The Limit of the Garden ", The Edge of Fertility before the rocky, high ground. It is here now

part of Dunlossit Estate that Bere was sown in Achaba (Abbott Field) and Achfad (Long Field) -

Virgin ground unused for a century and chemical - free. This produced hopelessly small

yields, but the result is a malt of quite singular character, ultimate originality and exceptional

provenance.

There are many attributes we share with our distant gaelic forefathers: stubborn, resolute,

selfsufficient, tough, hardworking, enduring straight - talking, emotional, passionate

philosophical and engaging………perhaps with a certain roguish quality.

We are proudly non conformist, as has always been the way in these Western Isles Oirthir Gaidheal,

the Coast of the Gaels, the land of the outsider.

Been stifled by industrialization and self - interest - huge organizations have developed that require

a stable status quo to ensure that their industrial processes can run to maximum efficiency, produ -

cing the 'maximum 'product with the minimum input and variation, all to the lowest unit price.

We reject this.

We believe that whisky should have character, and authenticity derived from where it is distilled and

the philosophies of those who distill it - a sense of place, of terroir that speaks of the land, of the raw

ingredients from which it was made.

We believe in variety, in chance , in progress, in irrationally, in a subborn refusal to accept prescribed

'porcess ' , we believe in following the distilling Muse wherever it might take us.

Above all we believe the world needs an antidote to homogeneity and blandness. Since our first spirit

ran from our unique Victorian stills on 11.09.01 we have been on an adventure - sometimes a white

knuckrch took pre - eminencele ride, but a journey that has seldom been dull, often a challenge

throughout a joy and a thrill.

There was a time, now long gone, when distilling was an uncomplicated affair. An art, certainly, but

not an enterprise where craft was subordinated to spin, and where concerns of "global consumer

profiling "and marked research took pre - eminence over thoughts of land, season and harvest.

We believe the spirit has lost tough with the land, with the farmers who supply its raw product, and

with a sense of place and provenance. At the time of writing, 50 % of our barley

is sourced from organic farms - ultimately our aim is for that to be 100 % ( and while most

other distillers don't seem to feel the need, our barley in 100 % SCOTTISH barley - how could

it be any other way ?).

In 2010 we released the first spirit to be made from Islay Barley, perhaps the first for 50 years.

We believe our spirit should speak of where it comes from and where it matured -

Bruichladdich is the only major distiller to distill, mature and bottle all its whisky on Islay.

Extraordinera to think it could be any other way, is't it?.

There has been a tendency to see organic farming as either a lifestyle statement or a luxury

or both.

It is nothing of the sort. Organic farming is the way all farming used to be

before the industrial revolution

and the mass migration of population into towns and cities. The dis-

tiller would buy his grain in the morning from the farmer he would drink with in the

evening. And that farmer would know every inch of his land and the meaning of every

cloud in the sky. On Islay he would collect kelp from the beach for fertilizer and pray the

volatile Atlantic weather systems would keep the rain off his harvest.

We passionately pursue a return to these simpler times - to authenticity, place and provenance, to

ultimate traceability. We seek to produce the most natural, thought - provoking, intellectually stimulating

& enjoyable spirit possible. Obsessive ? Probably - but the road at Octofad farm.

We believe in community.

Lastly, and with respect for this glorious past which we've spoken, we believe in innovation

and progress, with constantly striving tp produce a more characterful spirit, one with more

integrity and provenance, one thatis more expressive of this wonderful island we are lucky

to live on. A spirit to put a smile on your face wherever you are, and help you close your

eyes and quietly sream of Islay

New Bruichladdich range includes "most peated malt"

September, 2013

The peated Octomore 6.2

Rémy Cointreau Global Travel Retail has announced it will unveil a new collection of Bruichladdich single malt scotches, including what it claims is the "most heavily peated malt whisky on the planet".

The exclusive travel retail range will be launched at TFWA World Exhibition in October and comprises five single malts scotches from the Islay distillery, four of which are age-statement free.

The range consists of Bruichladdich The Organic Scottish Barley, Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2006, Bruichladdich Black Art, Port Charlotte PC11 and Octomore 6.2.

Rémy Cointreau acquired Bruichladdich in September 2012 and has spent the last year working with the distillery management team to prepare for this autumn's launches in travel retail, what it describes as a "uniquely fickle market".

Bruichladdich The Organic Scottish Barley (50% abv, 1ltr), is described as the "backbone of the range" and is an unpeated malt, organic Islay malt.

Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2006 (50% abv, 70cl) is a limited edition unpeated single malt. It is the first time the distillery can boast a malt made from 100% Islay barley.

Bruichladdich Black Art (49.2% abv, 70cl), is described as a "cult cask, secret creation which will be on very limited release".

Port Charlotte PC11 (59.5% abv, 70cl), is a limited edition of heavily peated single malt Scotch whisky.

Organic Scottish Barley

The heavily peated Octomore 6.2 (58.2%, abv 70cl) is matured in cognac casks and has "marine notes of honey and lemon".

Bruichladdich Scottish Barley

Progressive Hebridean Distillers

"Once again, Land and Dram united"

We believe terroir matters

We believe in Islay

We believe in the people

We believe in authencity, provenance and tracebility

We believe in slow

We believe in challenging convention

We believe in the soul of the artisan

Jim McEwan Head Distiller

BRUICHLADDICH SCOTTISH BARLEY

UNPEATED ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

THE CLASSIC LADDIE

This is classic Bruichladdich an elegant spirit derived from unpeated Scottish barley is bently

Coaxed from our tall stills and slowly matured in American oak casks. These are then carefully

selected by our master distiller Jim McEwan to explore and express the definitive Bruichladdich

style and insight into the heart and soul of our classic spirit.

The Laddie Classic Scottish Barley sets out to define who we are ultimate provenance, ultimate

traceability an achingly slow distillation and maturation on Islay in the finest wood. This complex

single malt has no artificial colouring and is bottled at 50 % ABV without chill filtration to preserve

the natural oils and esters that are so essential to the appreciation of a fine Scotch whisky.

Bruichladdich is Gaelic for stony shore bank and is located on The Rhinns on Islay

We are proudly non-conformist, as has always been the way in these Western Isles –

Oirthir Gaidheal, the Coast of the Gaels, the land of the outsider.

WE BELIEVE THAT WHISKY SHOULD HAVE CHARACTER; AN AUTHENTICITY

DERIVED FROM WHERE IT IS DISTILLED AND THE PHILOSOPHIES OF THOSE WHO DISTIL IT

At Bruichladdich, we believe the whisky industry has been stifled by industrialisation and self-interest – huge organisations have developed that require a stable status quo to ensure that their industrial processes can run to maximum efficiency, producing the maximum “product” with the minimum input and variation, all to the lowest unit price.

We reject this.

We believe that whisky should have character; an authenticity derived from where it is distilled and the philosophies of those who distil it – a sense of place, of terroir that speaks of the land, of the raw ingredients from which it was made.

We believe in variety, in chance, in progress, in irrationality, in a stubborn refusal to accept prescribed “process”; we believe in following the distilling Muse wherever it might take us. Above all we believe the world needs an antidote to homogeneity and blandness. Since our first spirit ran from our stills on Sunday 27.05.01 we have been on an adventure – sometimes a white-knuckle ride, but a journey that has seldom been dull, often a challenge, throughout a joy and a thrill.

OUR FARMERS KNOW EVERY INCH OF THEIR LAND AND THE MEANING OF EVERY CLOUD IN THE SKY.

Our raw ingredients are paramount. We use 100% Scottish barley - we believe it's called "Scotch" for a reason. We are the major distiller of organic barley in Scotland and have been instrumental in support for organic farming in the single malt category. In 2010 we released the first single malt whisky to be made purely from Islay Barley, probably the first in the island's history.

Our farmers know every inch of their land and the meaning of every cloud in the sky. Our water comes from farmer and friend James Brown’s Octomore farm up on the hill behind our Port Charlotte warehouse; our Islay barley is dried in the sheds of the Wood brothers, Andrew and Neil, up the road at Octofad farm. We believe in community.

We believe our spirit should speak of where it comes from and where it is matured – Bruichladdich is the only major distiller to distil, mature and bottle all its whisky on Islay. Extraordinary to think it could be any other way, isn’t it?

We passionately believe in terroir - in authenticity, place and provenance, in ultimate traceability. We seek to produce the most natural, thought-provoking, intellectually stimulating & enjoyable spirit possible. Obsessive? Probably – but if all you want is a whisky, the world is awash with the stuff.

Lastly, we believe in innovation and progress, with constantly striving to produce a more characterful spirit, one with more integrity and provenance, one that is more expressive of this wonderful island we are lucky to live on. A spirit to put a smile on your face wherever you are, and to help you close your eyes and quietly dream of Islay.

AB GRANT & CO

AB Grant & Co Ltd operated offices in Glasgow and London, and during the 1950s and 1960s was producing a London Dry gin, and Gold Label, Special Vat and Talloch blended Scotch whisky brands.

Grants’ was incorporated in 1951 and owned Bladnoch distillery in south-west Scotland from 1956 to 1964, and Bruichladdich on Islay from 1960 to 1968.

BRUICHLADDICH

14 Jahre alt

50.2 %

VORHER UND FISHKY

Da die Mode, Whisky in immer wieder anderen, zum Teil, seltsamen, Fässern nachreifen zu lassen, immer mehr um sich greift, wollte ich der erste sein, der ein Finish auf den Markt bringt, das, im Gegensatz zu vielen derzeitig erhaltlichen Abfüllungen, an die Anfange der Whiskylagerung erinnert.

Ich erhebe nicht den Anspruch, dass dieser Whisky durch die Nachlagerung im Heringfass besser geworden ist (sonst wurde Whisky vermutlich heute ausschliesslich in Heringfassern lagern) aber er bietet einen weiteren sehr interessanten Aspekt inder Welt des Whiskys.

Geschenkt bekommen von Ulricke und Hermann Rogowski, Tecklenburg, Deutschland.

Finishes mean at Bruichladdich A C E - ing = Additional Cask Evolution

Bruichladdich's Bere Barley 2009 release comes from 4 different Orkney locations and with their interest in provenance and tracability the farms are indentified on the packinging and the label.

The farms are: Wyeland, Watersfield, Richmond Villa, Quoyberstane and Northfield.

BRUICHLADDICH UNVEILS RARE CASK MALTS

November

Islay distillery Bruichladdich has launched its Rare Cask Series – three single malts taken from the last remaining parcels of whisky distilled in 1984, 1985 and 1986.

Bruichladdich Rare Cask Series

Bygone age: The three single malts date from a very different time in Bruichladdich’s history

Described by head distiller Adam Hannett as ‘the last of their kind’, the three single malts have been bottled at 30-32 years old and are available for about £700 per 70cl bottle.

They date from a period when Bruichladdich was owned by Invergordon – a time of reduced production prior to the distillery’s closure in 1995 under Whyte & Mackay (Bruichladdich was eventually reopened in 2001 after changing hands again).

‘These rare, old single malts are a direct link to our past, to the men who made truly special spirit here while facing very different circumstances to those which we enjoy today,’ said Hannett.

The three whiskies include:

Bruichladdich 1984/32 Years Old (3,000 bottles, 43.7% abv): Taken from 12 casks of ‘classic’ Bourbon-aged Bruichladdich, filled on 31 December 1984 and transferred by former master distiller Jim McEwan into fresh Bourbon casks in 2008.

Bruichladdich 1985/32 Years Old (4,200 bottles, 48.7% abv): Taken from the final 22 casks of legacy stock filled into third-fill Bourbon casks, then re-casked into fresh Bourbon casks in 2012, before a final stint in French oak from ‘one of the greatest French châteaux’ in 2017.

Bruichladdich 1986/30 Years Old (4,200 bottles, 44.6%): Taken from seven oloroso Sherry butts filled in 1986, then transferred by McEwan into Pedro Ximénez Sherry butts from Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla in 2012.

Hannett said of the whiskies: ‘They are in their prime, the last of their kind and can never be repeated, never recreated. Nothing quite like them will ever be seen again.’

ADAM HANNETT

Following in the footsteps of an industry legend – in this case, Jim McEwan – is no easy task. But Bruichladdich head distiller Adam Hannett is determined to carve out his own niche at the maverick Islay distillery.

Wise words: A pep talk by predecessor Jim McEwan left Adam Hannett ‘absolutely hooked’ on whisky

‘Mum and dad were from Manchester and trained as nurses. They fell in love with Islay while on holiday and moved here in the 1970s. I was brought up at Ardnave House in the north of the island, which was a fantastic place with great beaches to play on.

‘I did a year-and-a-half at Aberdeen University studying marine biology but I didn’t really know what I wanted to do and wasn’t that keen on studying, so I left and came home when I was 20. Distilleries weren’t open to the public so much when I was growing up; they were much more secretive and mysterious in the 1980s. But things had changed by 2004 when I got a job at Bruichladdich working in the shop and conducting tours.

‘I had a pep talk at the start by Jim McEwan and was absolutely hooked from that point on whisky and whisky-making. I worked in the warehouse and did shifts at mashing, and before Christmas you’d stop the stills and everyone would be pulled into the bottling hall to get stock out. There’s not a job I haven’t done in the distillery.

‘Working with Jim and the now retired general manager Duncan McGillivray, I was like a sponge soaking up everything. I call myself head distiller – certainly not master distiller, as Jim was. Maybe one day, but I definitely wouldn’t be comfortable with it now.

‘Every day working with Jim was amazing. You learnt how to conduct yourself as a person for one thing – after all you were representing the distillery. There were no short cuts and it was all about quality and achieving the very best possible.

Head man: For now, Hannett prefers to be called head distiller – not master

‘None of our whisky goes into blends; it’s all bottled as single malt, so it has to be right. Integrity and telling the truth in front of people is vitally important. You also have to have a bit of fun and not take everything too seriously.

‘How do you follow Jim? He was very good at coaching me, telling me to be your own man, do things your own way. That was reassuring. I tried not to think about following in Jim’s footsteps at the first festival masterclass I did. Jim was passionate and flamboyant, a great performer. I’m a bit more sedate!

‘I have a great team around me, including Allan Logan, our production director, who has worked his way up through the ranks and is a really good guy to work with. He’s very calm and knowledgeable. Everybody’s pulling in the same direction.

‘In terms of what we’re doing, it concerns keeping to fundamental principles. We’re passionate about our barley and casks – about sheer quality. We are curators and we are not planning radical changes. The distillery is in fantastic health, and we’ll improve where we can.

‘We’d love to malt here, it’s the missing part of the jigsaw, and we are exploring the feasibility of that. However, we have made some Octomore and Port Charlotte with Islay peat, which we shipped to Baird’s Maltings at Inverness for them to use for us.

Team effort: Everyone pulls in the same direction at Bruichladdich, says Hannett

‘Octomore 07.4 Virgin Oak was my very first expression with the stabilisers off, as it were. It was Jim’s idea to do it, but I actually made it and it’s an absolute flavour bomb. I’m currently working on Black Art 5, and I’ve also done Port Charlotte 2007 CC.01 in Cognac casks, and Laddie Eight for travel retail, which is a new market for us. I decided an eight-year-old would be interesting.

‘The Cognac casks give the Port Charlotte an amazing sweetness. We just filled them and laid them down to see what would happen. We didn’t even necessarily have it in mind for release until we saw how well it turned out.

‘There’s been an assumption that because The Classic Laddie was an NAS expression it would be inferior to some of our other whiskies. About a year-and-a-half ago – long before the whole “transparency” issue with John Glaser and the Scotch Whisky Association came to the fore – we had the idea of putting codes on bottles of The Classic Laddie so that buyers could visit the website and find the recipe for that batch. We decided it was really time to do it when the whole Glaser issue arose.

‘We plan to do the same coding for Port Charlotte Scottish Barley, as essentially it’s the Port Charlotte version of The Classic Laddie – but nobody’s going to find out what goes into the Black Art I’m making!

‘When it comes to my own drams, I’m really enjoying Port Charlotte Scottish Barley just now, and I’m also a big fan of Ardbeg and what they’ve been doing.

‘When I’m not working, my one-year-old daughter Emily takes up most of my time, and I’m also about to start building a house close to the distillery, which will definitely leave me with very little spare time. However, I do love an evening walk on the beach at Kilchoman – very calming.’

December 2017

Exclusive: Scotch whisky distilleries Bruichladdich and InchDairnie have each created what are believed to be the first commercial pot still rye spirits made in Scotland for more than 200 years.

Rye grain InchDairnie

Rye resurgence: Germinating rye grain used by InchDairnie distillery in Fife

By coincidence, Islay’s Bruichladdich and recently-opened Fife plant InchDairnie ran their rye distillations in the same week during November, signalling a revival of the grain in Scotland after a lengthy hiatus.

While other producers, including Lone Wolf, have distilled with rye, these are thought to be the first commercially-sized, rye-dominant pot still distillates using the grain in Scotland for more than 200 years.

InchDairnie’s ‘Ryelaw’ project – the name comes from a neighbouring farm – started this year with experiments in malting, mashing regimes, yeast selection and micro-distilling taking place off-site with a number of specialist firms.

In November, a mixed mash of 51% malted Scottish rye and 49% malted barley, both sourced from Muntons, was run through the distillery’s mash filter and then fermented with a specially selected yeast.

The Ryelaw spirit was distilled once in a pot still and given a second distillation in InchDairnie’s ‘Lomond Hills’ still, which has fixed reflux plates in its neck.

This yielded 40,000 litres of new make spirit, which is being aged in new American Ozark oak barrels. When judged ready, it will be the first release from InchDairnie, which opened in May last year.

The rye for the 2018 campaign has already been purchased, and a local Fife farmer has been contracted to grow the crop for subsequent years.

‘We chose rye because of flavour,’ said Ian Palmer, InchDairnie managing director. ‘For me, a lot of the flavours which other distillers are working with have been wood-driven – particularly through finishing.

‘We want to show that the flavours produced in distilling are as interesting as flavours of maturation. Rye was an obvious one to try.’

Meanwhile, Bruichladdich planted 10 acres of rye on Islay which, after a ‘challenging’ harvest, yielded 13 tons of grain to process at the distillery.

This was used unmalted, along with 45% malted barley, in five mashes.

Bruichladdich rye

Field of dreams: Bruichladdich’s rye crop growing at Coull Farm on the Rhinns of Islay

In an effort to understand how the rye would behave, slightly different techniques were used, such as the order in which the two grists were put into the mash tun, and the mashing temperature.

The distillate is being aged in a mix of new American oak, first-fill Bourbon and some new French oak.

‘We will definitely do it again next year,’ said Bruichladdich distillery manager Allan Logan. ‘We’ve gained a lot of knowledge from this year’s batches and the plans are to plant 20 acres in 2018 to continue the project.’

Lone Wolf in Ellon has been running experimental batches of rye since June 2016, when it trialled a 40% rye/60% malted barley mash.

This was followed by a 60:40 mashbill in August this year, while a 30:70 mash is scheduled to be run next week – the first commercially-sized batch.

The distiller is planning for rye to become a permanent fixture of its whisky portfolio in the future and is still aiming to make a 100% rye whisky.

Meanwhile, another new distillery, Arbikie in Angus, is now ageing a high-strength rye spirit created two years ago using a column still. At least one major distiller is also believed to have experimented with the cereal.

Rye was used in mixed mashes in Scotland during the 18th and early 19th centuries, and in column stills at the end of the 19th century.

More recently, there has been an explosion of interest in rye whiskeys produced in the US, prompting world-leading blended Scotch Johnnie Walker to release experimental rye cask-finished whiskies.

When released, the rye-dominant Bruichladdich and InchDairnie whiskies will both be classified as ‘single grain’ Scotch – that is, grain whisky produced at a single distillery – because ‘single malt’ must be made using 100% barley.

Both whiskies will also qualify as rye whiskies under the US definition, which calls for a mashbill containing at least 51% rye.

SCOTCH WHISKY AND RYE

InchDairnie Ryelaw

R is for…: Inchdairnie’s ‘Ryelaw’ spirit is taken from the name of a nearby farm

Rye is known as an awkward customer. It can turn to glue when being mashed, and foams wildly during fermentation. Many are the tales of a distiller setting a washback one evening – and returning the next morning to find the tun room knee-deep in froth. The thickness of the mash also means that it can stick to the inside of the stills and burn onto the steam coils.

There is also no single way to process rye. Every country has its own style and, within that, each distiller plays its own variations. For example, in the US and Canada enzymes can be used to assist with processing, but as these are not permitted in Scotch, the naturally-occurring enzymes in malted rye or malted barley have to be utilised instead.

It’s therefore no surprise that four different ways were used to make Scottish rye in the recent pot still revival of the grain in Scotland. ‘The original intention was to malt the rye,’ says Bruichladdich distillery manager Allan Logan, ‘but as we couldn’t get that done, we used a mashbill of unmalted rye and malted barley.

‘Rye is high in betaglucanase, which is why it can turn into wallpaper paste in the mash tun. Some distillers use rice hulls to help with creating a filter bed, but we used malted barley for this, and its enzymes. We ended up with a 55% rye content, which was sufficient to give us five mashes.’

Even then it wasn’t straightforward. ‘Having the rye and barley together in the grist hopper gave us drainage problems on the first mash,’ says Logan. ‘We then mashed the rye on its own at a higher temperature, and then added the malt, though in trying to master the drainage we might have lost some flavour.

‘It was pretty thick and sticky through the stills, and we ran 30 minutes of foreshots and cut quite high to retain the spiciness, which came over in the middle.’

Meanwhile, InchDairnie’s approach with its ‘Ryelaw’ spirit was completely different. Malted rye was used, but kilned at a lower temperature to the malted rye used for flavour in brewing.

‘Malting added flavour,’ says InchDairnie managing director Ian Palmer. ‘It also kept things simple. You have to burst the protein matrix in the grain to release the starch, either by cooking or malting. We also started mashing at a low temperature to ensure the protein enzymes broke the rest of the cell walls.’

In total, 1.5 tons of rye and 1.4 tons of malted barley were milled and mashed at 45˚C, before the temperature was increased to 65˚C to complete conversion. A more dilute water:grist ratio to normal was used because of rye’s stickiness.

Whereas Bruichladdich uses a traditional mash tun, InchDairnie converts in one vessel and then separates the wort from the solids in a mash filter. ‘This stops coagulation,’ says Palmer, ‘while creating more flavour.’

As the mash was thinner, Palmer removed some plates from the filter to retain the optimum thickness of grains on each. ‘It wasn’t as problematic as anticipated,’ he adds, ‘so we could increase the amount of rye and increase the original gravity.’

The clear wort was fermented with Mauri’s ‘R’ yeast, selected for the distillery, and then double-distilled, the first in a standard pot, the second in the distillery’s ‘Lomond Hills’ still, an adaptation of the original ‘Lomond’ still and named after the hills behind InchDairnie.

Rye drum malting at Muntons for InchDairnie

Drum malting: Muntons in Suffolk malted the first rye used at InchDairnie

While the original ‘Lomond’ still had moveable plates in the neck which could vary reflux, the InchDairnie variant’s are fixed. Reflux is manipulated by flooding the plates with condensed distillate. The more that is reintroduced, the lighter the spirit.

‘The first few distillation runs had to be modified to allow for the higher alcohol we achieved in fermentation,’ says Palmer. ‘Accordingly, we filled the first half of the run as a separate batch. The second half was more stable and is now ready for sampling and then filling.’

Lone Wolf distillery in Ellon is also using malted rye – but for another reason. ‘The challenge with processing any unmalted cereals through a four-roller mill is that the kernels are so tough that the mill would struggle to break them apart,’ explains distiller Steven Kersley. ‘The mash would then be like mixing water with whole grains… pointless.’

Then there’s the wallpaper paste syndrome. ‘To get a filter bed, we used 70% malted barley on our first mash, but this week’s is 60% malted barley to 40% malted rye. The husks of the barley give us the filter bed to go through; run-off is slow, but the flavour is great.

‘We got around foaming by putting the 20,000 litres of wort in an 80,000-litre tank, and then gave it a seven-day fermentation, conditioned for 21 days at 1˚C. In distillation, we cut onto spirit at 86% and came off at 68%.’

Lone Wolf is ageing in a mix of ex-Buffalo Trace Rye casks, virgin American oak casks and 50-litre American oak (both with a level three char).

Meanwhile, a mix of new American and French oak (with some first-fill American) is being used by Bruichladdich, and 100% virgin Ozark American oak barrels by InchDairnie.

Ozark oak: InchDairnie is using virgin American oak to mature its rye spirit

Each distiller is already planning for next year. ‘We’d ideally like to do more,’ says Logan, ‘so in spring we’ll plant plant 20 acres over two fields – and we might just up the rye when we distil. We’ll see.’

Diageo will continue to trial rye at pilot plant Leven and two other (unnamed) distilleries – though the presence of a mash filter suggests that Teaninich might be one.

‘It’s important to see this within the context of a series of ongoing experimentations which we don’t always talk about,’ points out the firm’s head of whisky outreach, Dr Nick Morgan. ‘Now we have the pilot plant, we have the flexibility to scale up quickly, but first we want to see what we get from the maturing stock.’

Kersley is already looking at the possibilities which rye gives. ‘It brings an earthiness that’s absent in barley – slightly green with a breadiness and burnt sugar sweetness,’ he says. ‘I’m really excited to use this grain more often in different guises. We’re just at the top of the rabbit hole, but we’re about to sprint down it.’

It’s a similarly bullish outlook in Fife, where Palmer says: ‘We are now collating all of the data we collected and we’ll review internally over the coming weeks, then with Muntons and Mauri, allowing us then to settle on our plan for next year's run. We have already secured the rye for that, and have got the rye growing, here in Fife, for 2019. Ryelaw is here to stay.’

Which begs the question: who’s next?

There’s no increase in capacity at Bruichladdich, but the ownership of French group Rémy Cointreau has seen a steady increase in production levels to 1m lpa in 2017; when the distillery was first revived in 2001, it could only afford to make a fraction of that amount of spirit.

As production increases, warehousing has expanded too, with the construction of three new 10,000-cask cells beginning in November last year.

Bruichladdich’s maltings closed in 1962, but distillery managers have spoken in the past of their long-term ambition to malt on-site again – initially for Islay-grown barley, but then possibly for Scottish-grown barley as well.

Gin: The Botanist

The Botanist is another Scottish gin that draws upon local botanicals to reflect its environment. Produced at Islay’s Bruichladdich distillery on an old Lomond still (named Ugly Betty) rescued from the demolished Inverleven distillery, The Botanist (46% abv; £32) is the island’s first and only gin.

Launched in 2010 – some 130 years after the distillery was founded – the spirit contains 22 wild foraged botanicals, including apple mint, camomile, elder and lemon balm, built around a core base of berries, barks, peels and seeds.

WE BELIEVE OUR SPIRITS SHOULD HAVE CHARACTER; AN AUTHENTICITY DERIVED FROM WHERE THEY ARE DISTILLED AND THE PHILOSOPHIES OF THOSE WHO DISTIL THEM.

There are many attributes we share with our distant Gaelic forefathers: stubborn, resolute, self-sufficient, tough, hard-working, enduring, straight-talking, emotional, passionate, philosophical and engaging… perhaps with a certain roguish quality.

We are proudly nonconformist, as has always been the way in these Western Isles – Oirthir Gaidheal, the Coast of the Gaels, the land of the outsider.

We passionately believe in terroir – in authenticity, place and provenance, in ultimate traceability. We seek to produce the most natural, thought-provoking, intellectually stimulating & enjoyable spirits possible. Obsessive? Probably – but if all you want is generic spirit, the world is awash with the stuff.

We are Progressive, Hebridean Distillers.

55°93’67.7”N / 6°68’37.5”W

GROWING ISLAY BARLEY

COULL FARM, ISLE OF ISLAY, SCOTLAND

PROGRESSIVE

IT’S A STATE OF MIND

This is not one distillery with one style of spirit; this is one project to break every boundary, to challenge every convention.

HEBRIDEAN

A SENSE OF PLACE

OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR ISLAND, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR WORKFORCE IS TOTAL, BUT UNDERPINNING EVERYTHING IS THE QUALITY OF OUR SPIRIT. OVER THIS, THERE CAN BE NO COMPROMISE.

REAL PLACE, REAL PEOPLE

PROVENANCE AND TRACEABILITY

ISLAY TERROIR, BARLEY TO BOTTLE

PROUDLY INDEPENDENT

EXPERTISE THAT HAS BEEN EARNED

Now most have retied, but our mission is to preserve their legacy and indeed pass it on to those who will in turn follow us in decades to come.

VICTORIAN EQUIPMENT

MINIMAL INTERVENTION

CUVEES CREATED BY TASTE

‘WHAT IF?’

100% SCOTTISH BARLEY

Bruichladdich uses only Scottish barley – we believe it’s called “Scotch” for a reason.

SLOW:

TRICKLE DISTILLATION

ALL BRUICHLADDICH WHISKY IS BOTTLED NATURALLY, UN-CHILL FILTERED AND WITH NO ADDED COLOUR.

This retains the vital natural oils which give our spirit its complex flavour profile and mouthfeel.

At Bruichladdich we NEVER use E150a. The colour of our whisky is derived only from the casks in which it is matured.

BRUICHLADDICH

YELLOW SUBMARINE 1991

WMDIII: THE LEGEND RESURFACES

"US SPIES TUNE INTO 'DISTILLERY OF MASS DESTRUCTION'"

"OUR WHISKY IS NOT A CHEMICAL WEAPON, SAY DISTILLERY CHIEFS"

"AMERICANS FIND WMD - THAT'S A WHISKY MAKING DISTILLERY"

"HOW THE US SPIED ON A TINY ISLAND DISTILLERY"

We can be as serious as you like, we'll wax lyrical about the most intricate detail of whisky-making for hours and hours and hours on end. But spend a minute round the distillery and you'll come to know, that it's a sense of humour that keeps us all going.

The original WMD bottling certainly tickled us. The story began with a letter from the Defence Threat Reduction Agency, inquiring as to why we were shipping distilling equipment that could be adapted for sinister purposes. Never one to miss a trick, or a PR spin, then MD Mark Reynier embellished events, capturing the attention of the nation and the headlines of several respected press.

The full WMD story, including details of subsequent bottlings can be found on our website:

Lurking in our depths, these defiant days of irksome provocation live on! As a symbolic salute to those of you who share our sense of foolery, we present to you the lucky few, WMD III: The Legend Resurfaces.

Adam has hunted out the last parcel of the original 1991 spirit, now at a sublime 25 years old. Originally filled into refill sherry casks, this unpeated Bruichladdich was then transferred into Spanish red wine casks in 2006. This third iteration has been balanced with refill bourbon casks, just as its predecessor.

1,991 bottles have been liberated from our warehouses for this web exclusive. In a bid to make buying as democratic as possible, we've restricted purchase to one per person.

Laddie Shop online exclusive, one per person

1,991 bottles only (700ml)

46% alc. / vol.

£300 including VAT

25 aged years

Component 1: 15 years refill sherry maturation before a final 10 years Spanish tempranillo cask maturation (approx. 7 parts)

Component 2: 25 years refill bourbon maturation (approx. 2 parts)

2018; All whisky produced is based on Scottish barley, 35 % from Islay, 5 % Organic. Output 1 million litres. 60 % is Bruichladdich, 30 % Port Charlotte, 10 % Octomore.

ISLAY BARLEY 2011

Nowhere is the philosophy of barley exploration more important to us than here on Islay. Bruichladdich Islay Barley explores the influence of our island climate on the barley. Surely the conditions on this westerly rock at the edge of the Atlantic must bring something extra to the barley and to our expressive, floral single malt whisky? The airborne salt spray that washes the fields and our warehouses must leave its mark on cask and liquid?

New this year, our 2011 Islay Barley is now placed in the silver-grey tins familiar with our barley provenance series; Islay barley, Bere barley and Organic barley. This barley exploration range looks deeper into the esoteric diversity of our essential raw material - for Islay Barley - where our barley is grown. This is the ultimate expression of Islay terroir.

BRUICHLADDICH ISLAY BARLEY 2011:

Unpeated Islay single malt Scotch whisky

6th release in Islay Barley exploration series

Distilled using 100% Islay barley

Multi-farm single vintage

Publican & Oxbridge barley varieties

75% first fill American whiskey,

25% ex Vin Doux Naturel from Southern France and ex French and Austrian sweet wine casks

50% vol. for maximum mouth feel

The Islay harvest took place from 31st August to the 1st September 2010.

MARY MCGREGOR, BRUICHLADDICH

2019

As distillery shop manager, and now private client manager, Mary McGregor has become a familiar, welcoming face for whisky lovers walking through Bruichladdich’s blue gates. She tells about growing up behind the distillery, and a special 40-year-old whisky gifted by Jim McEwan.

Local resident: Ileach Mary McGregor assisted with the reopening of Bruichladdich in 2001

‘I grew up on Gartacharra, our family farm located behind Bruichladdich. I’ve found written records that our family has had it at least since 1830, but it probably goes farther back. The maternal side of my paternal family were on Islay a lot longer than those records too. My paternal McGregor side comes from the Trossachs area outside Glasgow. They’re relative newcomers – they’ve only been here on Islay for 200 years or so.

‘The farm is still in the family and my brother runs it. When I was a child it was a dairy farm, then we moved on to cattle and sheep, and now these days it’s mostly beef cattle.

‘If you ever look at a map of Islay, there wouldn’t be much writing on it unless we wrote out the names of all the hills and fields ourselves. Even our fields have names. So right across Warehouse 12 (I call it “The Cathedral”), the name of that field is “Canada”. I like the idea that we’re growing the barley for Bruichladdich in “Canada”.

‘My dad used to help take the barley from the pier. It was delivered by boats called puffers which were the lifeline for the island up until the middle of the last century, as they delivered everything to the islands. He would unload the barley off the puffer with one of his beloved horses and take it to the malt floor located above the mill house.

‘He also collected the draff from the distillery to feed his cattle. Us children would go along with him to shovel it into the trailer whilst he went upstairs to have a dram with the manager of the time. We would play hide-and-seek in the stillhouse and get chased by the stillman – what an amazing playground to have. Farm children never got holidays, we just worked on the farm helping with all the different and varied jobs to do for each season, which made us very resourceful when it came to playtime. We made a swing using the branches of an old tree, and we used an old barrel and a plank of wood to make a see-saw; hay bales also make a great den.

Even the barley used for Bruichladdich has been grown by the McGregors

‘My dad, both my grandfathers, cousins, uncles and aunts have all worked at the distillery and my great-grandfather helped build it in 1881. I started working at Bruichladdich in 2003 although I did assist in the very beginning when Mark [Reynier] bought the distillery. I was mostly in the office, filing and answering the phone. I was lucky to be in the distillery the day the first spirit ran. What an emotional day that was. Jim [McEwan] and Duncan [McGillivray] and all the boys were laughing and dancing around the stillhouse. I’m sure a few tears were shed around the island that day too.

‘Since then, we’ve not really changed since the takeover [Rémy Cointreau bought Bruichladdich in 2012] and we’ve managed to keep to our values as “Progressive Hebridean Distillers”. That idea is our philosophy and we’ve stuck by it since day one. We’re staying true to ourselves.

‘Though I worked as the shop manager and senior tour guide for a while (we get more than 30,000 visitors a year), my new role is now private client manager. I get to spend more time with all of our amazing clients, most of whom have been with us on this wonderful “Laddie” journey from the start and whom I now proudly call my friends. There’s nothing better for me than to take a client and show them their cask that I sold to them 10 years ago – it’s like visiting a member of the family. Some of them have a tear in their eye when they visit their cask; it’s a special moment.

For some of McGregor’s clients, visiting their cask is like visiting a member of their family

‘Coming back to Bruichladdich is like coming back to visit an old friend – it’s a comfort blanket.

‘I’ll give you an example. I’ve got a Swedish client that comes over twice a year, and he’s lived in the same part of Sweden all his life. When he comes to Islay and the Bruichladdich shop we all know him by his name. When he goes to the Co-op shop in Bowmore he’ll get an “Oh gosh you’re back again. Where are you staying? How long are you here for? It’s so nice to see you,” from everyone. He’ll drive along the road and everyone will wave to him with the “Islay wave”, as it is known. Once he told me, “Mary, I’ve stayed in the same area all my life and I don’t know my next-door neighbour’s name”. So that brings it home on what it means exactly to visit Islay. It’s the people that matter.

‘I know that we’re the whisky epicentre of the world, and we’ve got these beautiful beaches, but we also have amazing people, including everyone here at Bruichladdich. We’re all superstars.

‘My favourite Bruichladdich? The one for me that has the most powerful story behind it is the 40-year-old, as my dad was still working at the distillery at the time it was made. When we decided to release it in 2004 I had also lost my dad that year.

‘When we were putting it all together I said: “Gosh, can you believe that those casks have been sitting in Warehouse 6 all my life? I’ve been walking past that warehouse to go to school, to go on my first date and everything.” Jim McEwan then went and came back with a 200ml bottle for me, because he knew I couldn’t afford it at £1,000 a bottle. He said: “I want you and your brother to toast this for your dad on Christmas morning”. That’s exactly what we did, and that’s very close to my heart. I can’t ever forget that whisky.

‘I know this sounds a strange thing for me to say – although I am born and raised here, I now feel I have come home working here. Life is all about the people you meet and the places you visit in your life – I am very lucky in that I get to do all that on my own doorstep.

BLACK ART 08.1

Few responsibilities are as daunting as the composition of our most enigmatic cuvee. Mere mortals would balk at the challenge. Few distillers would emerge to release their finest wares completely unaccounted for. The recipe kept in absolute secrecy. And yet, those in the know of the alchemic Bruichladdich Black Art bottlings are fully trusting in the hands of Adam. Over eight releases now, this is unaccountability justified.

TWO NEW BARLEY VINTAGES

IN NEW RELEASES

3RD AUGUST 2021/BY CHRISTY MCFARLANE

In the early years of our distillery’s resurrection, we set off on a journey to explore new realms of flavour in single malt whisky. Outside of the standard system of growing and selling barley, we rebuilt a different way of sourcing our all-important raw ingredients. By nurturing relationships with farmers, maltsters, agronomists, and barley breeders, we would encourage these people to work with us outside of the traditional means. We would shoulder the risk together, and as distillers, we would have our eyes opened to the complexities of arable farming in Scotland and beyond.

Harvest after harvest, parcel after parcel, we’d celebrate the variety and nuance of every growing season and our partners’ annual effort. The vibrant complexity of cereals would be retained in every traceable batch of Scotch. Barley was given its rightful place as whisky’s primary raw ingredient, and we’d find quality casks that would build on, not overshadow, the DNA of the very spirit we worked so hard to bring to life.

Exploring what barley and where it would be sown, knowing who would grow it all started as a relatively simple idea to pursue flavour where no other distiller (at that time) was thinking to look. With our first unpeated Islay-grown barley distilled in 2004 and our first ancient grain of Bere barley harvested in 2005, it’s astonishing to think how far we have come, what we have learned and what new experiments are still us some 16 years on.

The vintages we release today are a testament to the stamina and longevity of our first barley projects and the people who have persevered with us on our mission to discover differences in food and drink. With many more casks of our collective work stored in our warehouses, we look forward to releasing more of our successful legacies and others not yet tasted.

Explore our new vintage of Orkney grown unpeated Bere barley here: Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2011

2021 RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS

It's been a busy year for us here at Bruichladdich Distillery! We released our first ‘Project’ bottling in the spring, introduced new barley vintages in the summer, new cask explorations for Port Charlotte, and our 12th series of Octomore! We’ve brought you ten whiskies in total, 12 if you count the festival ballots. Thanks for joining us for the ride.

In case you’re still Christmas shopping, there’s a recap of some of this year’s releases below.

WE KNOW OUR FARMERS BY NAME AND SEE THEM AS PARTNERS, NOT SUPPLIERS.

In order to celebrate the amazing variety of flavours that can be achieved when making whisky, we had to ask where our main ingredient, barley, was coming from. The journey to making our products meaningful as well as delicious starts with the special relationships we have with our farming partners.

Since 2001, we’ve lived this approach of starting again, going back to the beginning, and asking questions rather than just accepting industry norms. Is Scotch whisky really Scotch if the barley comes from Poland, or if you don’t know where the barley comes from because it’s just a commodity? What about an “Islay” whisky – what does that mean? Can you claim to understand or appreciate a whisky if you don’t celebrate or interrogate its ingredients? And are you fully realising the power of a luxury industry like ours, if you are not building relationships and re-investing at the point where it all begins – with barley?

MUCH MORE THAN MALTING BARLEY

IN SUSTAINABILITY

6TH APRIL 2017/BY DAVE BROOM

We recently commissioned independent whisky writer Dave Broom to explore some of the current trends which excite us in the single malt world. He’s a well-known voice in the spirits press, author of 14 books, and a leading light in the World Whisky Forum; see more on his website The Whisky Manual.

In the second essay of this three-part series, he looks at “other” cereals being explored by progressive distillers, and the implications for malting and farming.

DB: In 2017, I was approached by five distillers, independently of each other. ‘Can you keep a secret?,’ they all asked. I promised I could. ‘Well… we’re making a Scottish rye whisky, but don’t tell anyone, as we’ll be the first, OK?’ Sworn to secrecy as I was, I couldn’t tell any of them that they were actually part of a group which they knew nothing about. In alphabetical order they were Arbikie, Brewdog (aka Lone Wolf), Bruichladdich, Diageo (which produced rye at its Leven pilot plant in 2015 and subsequently at Teaninich), and Inchdairnie.

The Time is Rye

I did feel somewhat guilty when, one by one, these distillers discovered that their world exclusive was anything but. Cheer up, I told them, surely it’s better to be part of a movement. After all, making a rye whisky (which under current regulations must be called a grain whisky) made sense. There has been a boom in the style internationally, with distinct regional styles emerging. Rye’s punchy spiciness widens the flavour palette of Scotch.

So far, only the Arbikie has been released. Distilled on an Angus farm which has been owned and run by the Stirling family for four generations, it is part of a portfolio which includes gin and vodka – including ‘climate positive’ Nàdar made from peas. Its malt whisky is still to appear.

Arbikie’s approach is, director John Stirling says, a modern interpretation of a time when most of Scotland’s distilleries were farm-based, utilising the cereals which grew – and which were capable of growing – in each location. Barley certainly, but also oats, and rye. This idea of discovering his farm’s potential was also behind Andrew Jones’ decision to plant rye for Bruichladdich at Coull farm on Islay in 2017. To farmer Andrew, it was a feasibility test of a rotational crop that occupies a field for almost a full year and has the ability to regenerate the soil, enabled by Bruichladdich’s agreement to buy whatever he could harvest.

At the same point, Ian Palmer, MD of Fife distiller Inchdairnie, was also at work with rye, running experiments in malting, mashing regimes, yeast selection and micro-distilling with a number of specialist firms. His rye was sourced by Muntons, micro-malted in Stowmarket, Suffolk. The mashing regime was worked out by Belgian specialist Meura, while Mauri was commissioned to source a suitable yeast. The initial distillation was run by technical and research service provider, Campden BRI.

The aim, Palmer said at the time, was to show that the flavours produced in distilling are as interesting as flavours of maturation. Rye was an obvious candidate, though its production would be anything but straightforward.

BARLEY-FORWARD SINGLE MALT WHISKIES

Barley's unique properties and flavours have been woven through our food and drink for thousands of years, since our ancestors first discovered it could be malted.

It's our key raw ingredient. We continually ask how the intricacies of barley and specific growing seasons influence the character of our whiskies. The answers are here for all to taste - Bere Barley shows us differences caused by what variety, Islay Barley by where it's grown, Organic by how it's farmed.

This is high provenance, high transparency whisky; a range of non chill-filtered and colouring-free single malts that are both frank and nuanced.

As we anticipate this year's harvests, we are excited to reveal our full Barley Exploration series for 2022. All are bottled at 50% ABV and are available from specialist retailers and the distillery shop on Islay.

BRUICHLADDICH THE ORGANIC 2011

We first bought barley from Mid Coul in 2003. The farm expertly balances new-age technology with the expertise of earlier generations. This is a single vintage expression, aged 11 years.

The nose evolves from crème brûlée, to melon, lemon, and watermint. Toasted oak and vanilla fudge on the palate give way to a sea breeze, nutmeg finish.

BRUICHLADDICH BERE BARLEY 2012

Bere barley is possibly Britain's oldest strain of cultivated cereal. Its rich and robust flavours have been saved from extinction and reintroduced to distilling in our successful longterm partnership with the Agronomy Institute, UHI.

The understated maturation of this 10 year old delicately balances an unctuous texture and malty, sweet fruit flavour.

BRUICHLADDICH ISLAY BARLEY 2013

Seven farms from across the island provided the barley for this vintage. The salt in the air over the fields and warehouses, the weather, the soils, bring an expressive extra sense of place to our floral single malt whisky.

Aged 8 years, it is 25% matured in European wine casks (Ribera del Duero, Syrah, Pauillac) and 75% in first fill American whiskey casks, achieving a melting balance between the oak and the barley-forward spirit.

Extreme distilling: Arctic barley

September 8, 2022 Longer pieces

Two casks sat close to the entrance of the turf-covered warehouse. Outside a fresh fall of snow had settled on the ice. The fjord a dull blue, sky lit with the pastel hues signifying the return of the sun after the long, dark winter. That night the aurora would crackle and flex in greens purples and pinks above our heads. Whisky-making is different in the Arctic.

‘Nature is both our biggest advantage, and challenge,’ says Aurora Spirits’ CEO and co-founder Tor-Petter Christensen. ‘The climate has an impact on everything we do. The seasonality of nature providing ingredients, the challenges of transport to and from our location, the high costs of acquiring materials, as well as the “smaller trips” of rolling a barrel up to the warehouse in the snow. Avalanches, landslides, slippery conditions and ferry closures. But,’ as he says with a smile, ‘our remote location makes us uniquely resilient.’

Aurora is the world’s most northerly distillery. Situated at 69˚N, deep in the Arctic Circle, 94km to the east of Tromsø, it was founded in 2015 with production starting the year after. The full release of its Bivrost whisky is scheduled for 2025, but until then there is an ongoing series ‘Nine Worlds of Norse Mythology’ showing the work in progress.

This is my second visit here and things have changed subtly, but clearly – as things should when a distillery is finding its feet. So far they have used a mash from Popino and Planet Nordic barley made at the local Mack brewery, but are now shifting to making it all in-house.

In the small lab, bottles of creepy looking moulds are evidence of work (alongside Spheric Spirits) with wild local yeasts and Norwegian farmhouse brewing yeast, Kveik which has been used for almost 1,000 years. [Kveik is an extended family of yeasts from 50 farms in Norway, each with its own strand].

With every decision, Aurora is strengthening ties to its location. ‘It could be said that we’ve shaped our process to the conditions of our environment,’ says Christensen, ‘rather than trying to force conditions with temperature control or other modern technologies.’

The yeast trials are one element, the other lies in those two casks with ‘Arctic Barley’ chalked on their ends. It’s not the place you expect to find barley growing but since 2019, the distillery has been working with local farmers to see what’s possible.

‘Barley can withstand the harsh climate here north and has been an important trade route for us for hundreds of years,’ ‘explains Christensen. ‘Before World War Two, barley was the preferred cattle fodder due to its resilience to the harsh conditions. After the war though, other grains took over.’

It’s not easy. Sowing can only start when the snow and ice leaves the fields. Most years this will be in late May, but a bad winter could push that back to late June. The intense short summer with continual sunlight means that harvesting could take place any time between late September to early October. It is whisky-making in the marginal zone, but if your aim is to make Arctic whisky, then barley and yeast had to be part of the equation.

Thankfully they found a farmer, Benjamin Hykkerud, in Alta, (210km east of the distillery) who had persevered for 30 years with growing feed barley. With funding from SkatteFunn (Research Council of Norway) and Innovation Norway, and research expertise from UiT / Holt research farm in 2019 the first trials were run with the Brage and Floy varieties. Even though crows ate all of the barley in one field there was sufficient to ferment – using a Kveik from the Hornindal Farm culture.

Yield, which most distillers obsess about, was not part of the equation. One ton made 810kg of malt, which produced 216 litres of spirit – four times less than a commercially available malt.

In 2020 they trialed a 6-row feed barley, Héder, (again fermenting with Kveik) because of its quick ripening and also short straw which doesn’t break in the harsh weather conditions. The same variety was used again last year, this time given a week-long ferment in the distillery’s new brewhouse. Now field trials are underway with Braga, bere and a Heder x malting barley cross.

The spirit is bright, barley-fresh, sweet, with a distinct citric/tropical note coming from the yeast and a softer, richer texture than the distillery’s make from the Mack wort. Every element appears to have been magnified. There is clearly something at work here.

It’s too early to say how much Arctic barley will be in Bivrost down the line, but the aim, Christensen says, is to get up to between 20 – 30% over the next few years.

They are not alone. Iceland’s Eimverk distillery has used local barley from its inception in 2009, partly as a challenge, says manager Eva-Maria Sigurbjörnsdóttir, to see whether it was possible and, if so, would it make a good spirit with a different taste. Ther was also a sustainability angle – to not be reliant on expensive imported barley.

As with Aurora, they use 6-row feed barleys (IS-Kria and Philipa) which add an earthiness, some grassy notes and an oily texture. While the climate impacts on sowing and harvesting, the variations between years, Sigurbjörnsdóttir says, has been turned to the distillery’s advantage.

‘The flavour will change depending on how plump the barley is,’ she explains. ‘And how plump it is will depend on the growing season, but the batch variations and the changes in flavour are part of the story.’ Rather than chasing consistency, the differences are what is exciting.

There is a wider discussion here, though. Though both distilleries are isolated – Myken, the nearest distillery to Aurora’s is 1,000km away (and is on an island 2 hours off the coast) – their experiences are providing fascinating opportunities for the wider whisky world.

‘The climate up here represent the most extreme in the world for agriculture,’ says Christensen. ‘The experiences we are making together with the farmers could prove to be good to share with other distillers in harsh climates – and we’re open for sharing and discussions.’

In Scotland in recent years there has been increasing interest in the landraces, bere barley, Scotch Annat, and Scotch Common. Landraces are genetically diverse varieties which over time have adapted to their environment and developed specific characteristics. They aren’t the result of breeding, but natural processes and are ideally suited to specific local conditions.

Logic would suggest that the shorter growing season, soil and climate of the west coast is very different to that of the east coast, where most of the barley is grown. If Hebridean/west coast distilleries are going to grow their own barley, then it makes sense to find out what is best suited to their conditions – and that might well not be the standard approved varieties. Bruichladdich has long used bere barley (grown for it on Orkney) while Raasay ran trials of locally-grown barley.

As well as landraces, trials are underway with early-flowering Nordic varieties such as Braga and Salome. As Dr Joanne Russell, senior postdoctoral scientist at cereal research body the James Hutton Institute [JHI] explains, they are primarily feed barleys, though also used for brewing. ‘They are 6-row barleys,’ she says, ‘and have a similar agronomy to the 6-row bere type, which is being used by a few distilleries (Bruichladdich). They are also genetically similar to the beres.’

So might these older Scandinavian varieties offer possibilities for Scottish distillers, particularly in the west? She was cautiously optimistic. ‘Earliness and a short time from sowing to harvest is what’s needed.’ She says. ‘In the Raasay trial Brage, Anneli and Iskria all matured, but the grain also needed significant drying to reach the desired moisture for malting.’ There was a note of caution. ‘We’re not there yet.’

Her mention of genetics touches on a key element in current barley science. There is a worrying lack of genetic diversity within the barley varieties which are being planted. Greater diversity is needed to help deal with climate change. ‘Most of our research is to identify novel diversity and develop genetic markers that can be used by breeders,’ she says. The JHI has sequenced the gene space of around 1200 barley accessions’.

Out of this could come varieties best suited to specific conditions, or crosses between landraces and modern varieties which would give higher yields but because of being suited to the climate need fewer inputs (fertilisers). A spin-off of greater genetic variety is greater flavour possibilities, but for any of this to succeed it has to first work for the farmer. A shift in the current model of payment per ton to payment per acre might help.

For Tor Petter Christensen, Arctic barley adds another dimension to Aurora’s operation. While all distilleries want to grow as a business, he argues, there is balance which needs to be struck between that growth and having a responsible, ethical approach.

As he says, ‘there should be a responsibility to our locations, not just an exploitation of them. To make a product that doesn’t reflect the unique conditions in its flavours and aromas is to make something which disrespects nature, the farmers, producers, community, and identity,’ There are lessons to be learned in the North.

Octomore Series 13 is available now. If you are visiting our website from the UK, please switch to our UK site. You will be able to purchase our current releases online for delivery to the UK, browse our single malts, explore the latest distillery news and create an account.

TERROIR

AT BRUICHLADDICH, WE BELIEVE TERROIR MATTERS

WHAT IS TERROIR?

A concept most commonly associated with the wine world, terroir describes the land and the combination of natural factors - including soil, sunlight and climate - which give the wine grapes their disctinct character.

For us, terroir matters. When it comes to whisky making, we believe that, beyond flavour alone, it imparts subtle nuance, complexity and variety to our single malts.

The impact of the land has a profound effect on the drinking experience.

Terroir varies according to place. It differs not just at a regional level but also from farm to farm, from one field to another, from harvest to harvest and from one vintage to the next.

Its effect will inevitably vary from plant species to plant species and from crop to crop.

PERCEPTIONS OF TERROIR

We are aware that whisky drinkers may not have previously considered terroir. This is at least partly because industrial whisky producers would rather that was the case. Most concentrate on promoting image rather than exploring more challenging concepts. At Bruichladdich we produce some of the most thought-provoking spirits in the world, so why not take a closer look at the complex make up of our single malts?

The Scotch whisky industry has hidden behind a smokescreen of brand image because that is easier than getting a grip on the esoteric micro-influences that come to play in the development of a whisky's fundamental raw material, barley – the most flavour complex cereal in the world.

As soon as we re-opened the distillery in 2001 we placed the concept of terroir at the centre of everything we did. “We believe terroir matters”, is a statement of intent – a central pillar of our brand philosophy.

Terroir defines who we are, what we do and how we do it.

WHERE WE ARE NOW

With terrior at the forefront of everything we do, we label and trace, parcel by parcel, different barley varieties from different farms - and even different fields.

We distil different varieties of conventionally grown barley separately. These include Optic, Propino, Concerto, Chalice, Publican, Golden Promise and Maris Otter among others. We also distil organically grown barley and the ancient Bere Barley.

On Islay, an average of 19 farmers have grown barley for us annually. Some of this barley has been distilled separately, some consolidated. We have varied the programme from year to year to explore a wide range of combinations and permutations. The remarkable uber-provenance whiskies that are now emerging from our warehouses are the direct result of this work.

Since 2001 the barley we have used has been 100% Scottish. Taking this pledge further, we now have a large portfolio of uber-provenance whiskies that are distilled from the produce of local Islay farms. These are the single malts from ‘Islay Barley’ editions of Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore. We have also released Bere Barley whiskies from grain harvested from farms on Orkney and Islay, plus organic whiskies from farms on the Scottish mainland.

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

We believe we are ahead of the curve. The future is a very exciting prospect indeed. In recent years, we have been conducting a giant experiment by distilling malt derived from 50, then 100 and now 200 tonne batches of theoretically identical, conventionally grown barley that has been harvested from three different regions of mainland Scotland: Aberdeen, The Black Isle and the Lothians.

The results have been fascinating and provided one conclusive result. The barley is not identical at all. We are increasingly able to demonstrate that the subtly nuanced characteristics of these different terroirs are retained directly in our maturing whisky stocks depending on harvest, yield, weather and crop rotation.

As the years have moved forward we have stepped further from the conventional Scotch system in our commitment to the concept of terroir. We've released our first ever biodynamically grown Scotch whisky (the only exception to our 100% Scottish barley rule), and through our local partner farmer, Andrew Jones, distilled Islay's first ever rye spirit. As a result, our warehouses are now full of whiskies of extraordinary variety, depth and provenance.

And we're just getting started.

BRUICHLADDICH

Black art

EDITION 10

£395.00 45.1% ALC./VOL.

The tenth edition of this limited edition series, Black Art Edition 10 encapsulates the enigmatic alchemy of whisky making; with a reliance on nature, craftsmanship and the passing of time. The barley and cask type remain a mystery, with the final recipe undisclosed.

Place your order by the following dates for delivery before Christmas: Delivery to the Rest of the World, 11th December 2022 and delivery within the EU, 14th December 2022. For all orders for delivery to the UK, please visit our UK website.

BLACK ART - A CREATIVE STORM

MAKING WHISKY

Head Distiller Adam Hannett's answers some big questions about the Black Art concept, the process, and the legacy.

WHAT'S THE STORY BEHIND HOW THE BLACK ART CONCEPT STARTED?

The Black Art concept was very much Jim McEwan’s. It was a vehicle for him, starting from ambition and the ability/freedom to explore the wood, to revel in the blending and the role of the cask in making whisky. Jim is a whisky legend who started out as a cooper. Even though he had been running distilleries and involved in everything, one of his great loves was maturation.

When he started at Bruichladdich Distillery, they were going into new territory with sourcing casks. They had the freedom and ability to start buying casks from some of the great chateaux in Bordeaux and around the world, using flavours and casks that hadn’t been used before. The quality of the oak that was being used was absolutely phenomenal.

French oak is very different to American oak, which was 99.9% what was used in the whisky industry then. Exploration, challenge, has deep roots in the origins of the distillery and origins of Black Art. It was about trying new things and seeing where the flavour was going.

In my role, I know that when you take some Bruichladdich spirit that’s been maturing in a refill bourbon hogshead with a classic flavour, then you put it into a red wine with amazing French oak behind it, you start picking up all these amazing fruity, charry notes from the wine. Then this lovely structure and quality of the oak comes through to help shape that spirit… You get something completely different! It’s a new lens of flavour. So many new things develop that you completely turn away from the previous maturation profile.

When Jim was blending these casks, he would transfer the whiskies into certain casks and keep adding, making all these layers of flavour, things people hadn’t tasted before. There was this creative storm going on, bringing all these flavours all together.

That was the concept of Black Art. The name idea came to him because somebody asked the question ‘Jim, what are you doing?’ ‘Can’t tell you, completely secret – just trust me’.

So the craft, the secrecy, it was like an opportunity to try things that people hadn’t done before. The more we said, ‘We’re not going to tell you, this is just what we do! You don’t need to know; you just need to enjoy it…”, the more freedom we had to look at the layers of flavour you could get from hundreds of different cask types. The editions follow a sort of instinct through all those different options. They have a similar story, same DNA, but each one is an unrepeatable, unique whisky.

PRIZED CASKS

AS A PROJECT, BLACK ART HAS A LOVELY PERPETUITY TO IT: IT WAS STARTED BEFORE YOU BY YOUR PREDECESSOR, AND CASKS YOU LAY DOWN NOW WILL BE HANDLED BY YOUR SUCCESSOR - HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE PART OF THIS LEGACY?

For me that goes wider than Black Art; that’s what distilling is!

That’s one of the great things you very quickly realise when you first walk into a warehouse and start moving barrels that have been laid there, with dates on from before you were born.

For the stock we are laying down today, I won’t be the person putting that into a bottle.

Something that Jim always used to say, and I think I have always been aware of, is that your job is to look after the distillery for the next generation. Leave it in a better place than where you found it.

I look back at Jim and Duncan (McGillivray)… When they brought Bruichladdich back to life, everything was about building it back up. I can see now that they put as much hard work in as they could so that when Allan (Logan) and I took over those roles, we were in a better position. I see our jobs as the same thing. It’s about growing Bruichladdich, building it and about putting in foundations to pass on to the next generation.

We have interesting challenges just now (I say interesting, but they are scary…). Sustainability concerns, and climate change, mean it’s critical to our job now how we think differently and evolve. How will we leave this distillery in a better place for future generations?

I do see that with Black Art, but its wider than Black Art. That’s what distilling is. It’s time travel I suppose.

BRUICHLADDICH SAMPLE ROOM

THE PROJECT SEEMS TO BE A BLESSING AND A CURSE: IT’S ONE WHERE YOU HAVE COMPLETE CREATIVE FREEDOM, BUT THERE’S ALSO A PRESSURE TO MAKE SOMETHING INCREDIBLE EVERY TIME. HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THESE PRESSURES?

I suppose I don’t really see it as pressure. What you have got to remember is that we are not just looking at that one moment? It goes from the barley that’s grown, to the way the spirit’s distilled, to the cask that we fill, the cask that we blend and re-cask… At each part of the process, it's being monitored to ensure it’s at its best, at every single point. So when I go to blend that Black Art, I’m not worried about anything. We have put the work in so I know that when I start that blending process, I’m starting with excellence.

For Black Art, I may start looking at the recipe seven or eight years before it ends up in a bottle, it could be longer.

It’s not something to worry about, but a lovely thing is you don’t know what you will end up with. There is experience and knowledge there to guide you along the way and you know what you want to try and aim for but you don’t know how that spirit’s going to work out until it's finished. You have got to take risks – no one ever did anything great from repeating the same old, same old; it’s about trying new things. That’s the DNA that’s been instilled in me, to try new things - it maybe comes quite naturally to the distillery as its what we have always known.

That creative freedom – if you feel pressured by that then you are probably in the wrong job! It should be a pleasure to have that creative freedom, to try new things and see what happens; that’s the essence of Black Art.

E ARE B CORP CERTIFIED

USING BUSINESS AS A FORCE FOR GOOD

WHAT IS B CORP?

On Monday 4th May 2020, Bruichladdich Distillery officially became B Corp certified.

This means adhering to the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and accountability, or in other words, balancing profit and purpose.

Set up in 2006, the B Corp certification process was organised to help mission-driven businesses protect and improve their positive impact over time.

Acknowledging that governments and non-profits can only go so far in driving change, we join numerous for-profit businesses helping to tackle some of the challenges our modern societies face

We volunteered ourselves to be evaluated, and we’ll continue to do so every three years from now. This is the time for us to celebrate all the achievements we have managed but it’s also an opportunity to pause and recognise where we are now, knowing that we must push ourselves to make our business better each year.

We are incredibly proud to be in this network of change-makers.

OUR LATEST IMPACT REPORT

As a B Corp, we are legally obliged to publish the impact we’ve made on an annual basis. Delve into the full detail for 2021-2022 here.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

IMPACT SCORE

We have achieved a number of milestones that have helped us attain B Corp status. Businesses must earn a minimum of 80 points out of a possible 200 to qualify. Under the headings of workers, governance, community, environment and customers, we will work towards improving our score year on year.

WE ACHIEVED 83.2 POINTS.

This is just the start of our B Corp journey.

DOING BUSINESS DIFFERENTLY

Since our resurrection in 2001, Bruichladdich Distillery has existed as an antidote to tradition. Our purpose has always been bigger than making and selling single malt Scotch whisky.

The commitments we have made to our community and our island have shaped the way we do business. Our refusal to outsource our warehousing and bottling contributes to us employing 80 people on Islay, making us the largest private employer on the island of Islay. The partnerships we have created with our local farming community now see over 50% of our annual requirements grown locally across multiple Islay farms.

These actions may sound simple, but they are not the norm, nor are they an exhaustive list of our proudest achievements. Regardless of what we have conquered to date, we will continue to push our priorities forward across our sustainability pillars; in Islay & Community, Agriculture & Biodiversity, Packaging & Waste, and Energy.

PROGRESS TO BE PROUD OF…

PEOPLE-CENTRIC POLICIES

+ 80 people now work for Bruichladdich Distillery on the island of Islay, with a further 31 based in Glasgow. By basing typically ‘mainland’ functions on Islay, we are able to offer varied career opportunities to our workplace. Roles offered in human resources, design, hospitality, customer services, bottling and communications are not the norm on Islay, but they add vibrancy to our distillery.

+ The benefits we offer also helped us qualify. Living Wage employment, a bonus scheme available to all our staff, the annual cost of living adjustments as well as private healthcare, life assurance provisions and 34 days paid annual leave are all standard.

+ For the fitness fanatics, we offer an optional cycle-to-work scheme, corporate gym membership, health and wellbeing day and we come together for a staff sports day once a year. During our community day, we committed 500+ hours of working time to voluntary projects and we know it doesn’t really count but our staff Christmas party alone is worth working the year for!

+ We’re also a diverse employer with a sound training and development program that’s seen 41 of our staff either promoted internally or transferred to departments that better suited their work/life balance. 10 of our 22 senior management are female, and we have an age range represented from 19 to 75 years of age.

PROGRESSIVE ATTITUDES

Our progressive attitude towards agriculture and our environment will be built upon in the coming years.

We are extensively researching the feasibility of greener energy in order to reduce our carbon emissions. Thus far, we’ve installed a hot wastewater system that circulates the heat from our condensers through to keep our office, bottling hall and visitor centre warm. In May 2020, we switched to 100% green electricity. We’ve even tried and failed at using anaerobic digestion as a source of energy in the past. Undeterred, we’ve learned from the process and will explore alternative sources with enthusiasm.

We are also immensely proud of our work in agriculture. Whether on the Scottish Mainland, with heritage varietals, organic batches, or modern-variety single field, single vintage Regional Trials, we’ve experimented with an impressive back-catalogue of barley. Putting flavour and farmer first, we’ll delve further outside the current recommended growing list to find the new frontier in grains and how they are grown.

We’ll turn our hands to reducing our Packaging and Waste over the next year. We are confident that great things can be achieved here, especially with the inspiration of other B Corp businesses to look to. We just have to think big, start small but start today!

LOOKING AHEAD…

Becoming certified B Corp is a massive achievement for us. We are delighted to be among other businesses that contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable economy. Our role now is to share the successes of our fellow pioneers and continue to provoke our restless curiosity, improving each and every day for our people and our planet.

Building on our ‘One Tin Lighter’ initiative which has already seen us save nearly 5,000 tins through our online and distillery shop, we are removing outer packaging across our core single malt brands, starting with our heavily peated Port Charlotte.

When you buy from us directly online, we have also removed the option of choosing a secondary tin for most of our Bruichladdich releases and our Port Charlotte single malts.

Part of our long-term vision to be more sustainable across all processes, this decision eliminates unnecessary packaging - a move which will significantly reduce carbon emissions, weight and waste.

Removing the secondary packaging means less steel will be used in the production of outer tins. While tin plate is among the most widely recyclable materials, the decision to remove it completely will eliminate energy and emissions used in production and transportation.

THE REGENERATION PROJECT

We’re delighted to introduce The Regeneration Project: the first ever whisky primarily made from locally grown, Islay rye. The latest addition to the Bruichladdich Project series, this distillery exclusive proves incredible whisky can make a real difference.

It originated in a conversation with one of our dynamic farming partners on Islay, Andrew Jones. He was keen to add rye into his crop rotations for the benefits it would bring to the soil, reducing reliance on artificial pesticides and fertilisers. We agreed to purchase Andrew’s entire crop if he was going to trial the alternative grain – trying something new ourselves and shouldering some of the farm’s economic risk.

Here, five years later, we reap the extraordinary rewards – an incredible liquid, and the start of something much bigger than whisky.

As one of the few B Corp certified distilleries in the world, we continue to pursue flavour while reducing our impact.

The Regeneration Project is part of a small batch of 1,800 bottles, it is available online at Bruichladdich.com.

TASTE THE FIRST EVER ISLAY RYE

Join us at 19:00 this evening for a live, interactive tasting of The Regeneration Project, the first whisky made primarily from locally-grown, Islay rye.

Head Distiller, Adam Hannett, will take us through a dram of our latest innovation and answer your questions live. Tweet us @Bruichladdich or be sure to add a comment or say hello on YouTube or Facebook. You can also email us your question for Adam beforehand.

If you’re not able to join us live, you can watch in your own time via the same link below. Slàinte!

Bruichladdich launches first Islay rye whisky

20 March, 2023

Islay Scotch distillery Bruichladdich has announced the launch of the Hebridean island’s first rye whisky, the third release in the Bruichladdich Project series.

The Regeneration Project uses locally grown rye and was born out of a conversation with a distillery farming partner, Andrew Jones, who added rye to his crop rotation to improve soil health and reduce reliance on artificial pesticides and fertilisers.

“As a whisky distillery we are accountable for our impact from the ground up, and that starts with understanding where our essential raw ingredients come from, and how they are grown,” said Douglas Taylor, chief executive at Bruichladdich Distillery.

“We learned that rye is a hugely beneficial rotational crop which not only reduces the need for artificial input but improves soil health and structure - which matters.

“But with no market for Scottish-grown rye, it begs the question - why would a farmer grow it? Well, we could buy it - and create a delicious whisky. All while supporting our vital farming partners, helping the environment and promoting soil health.

“Pursuing flavour while reducing our impact, The Regeneration Project is the start of something much bigger than whisky.”

Cut at 50% abv, The Regeneration Project has the familiar peppery heat of American rye whiskies with a maritime quality from the Islay maturation.

The Regeneration Project is limited to 1800 bottles priced at rrp £125, it is available online at www.bruichladdich.com.

Bruichladdich reduces packaging emissions by 65% with redesign of The Classic Laddie

17 July, 2023

Islay distillery, Bruichladdich, has redesigned its signature The Classic Laddie, removing the secondary tin and significantly reducing glass weight to reduce packaging CO2 emissions by 65%.

The new design is 32% lighter than the previous bottle and contains 60% recycled glass allowing the transportation of more bottles per palate.

In the past, customers could opt out of secondary packaging but the distillery is now removing production of the outer tin, the manufacture of which emitted over 1kg of CO2 each.

“As an industry, we’ve become accustomed to believing that single malt Scotch whisky must come with outer packaging as standard,” said Douglas Taylor, chief executive at Bruichladdich Distillery.

“Where most other spirits travel around the world in just the bottle, the majority of single malts have an elaborate or heavy secondary, outer pack. And it made us ask ourselves, why? Secondary packaging is not always necessary, and it’s certainly not sustainable.

“The new proprietary Classic Laddie bottle marks a significant step change for Bruichladdich. This is much more than a bottle redesign. It is changing the trajectory for the brand and the way that we operate as a values-led business.”

The re-designed bottle is now available to buy online at bruichladdich.com and in stores across the UK, priced at rrp £45

Bruichladdich: swimming against the tide

31 August, 2023

Bruichladdich’s packaging has undergone a radical overhaul, driven by environmental concerns. Global marketing director Gareth Brown discusses with Oli Dodd the unique challenges of an island such as Islay.

In July of this year, Islay single malt producer Bruichladdich unveiled new packaging for The Classic Laddie, its flagship bottling. The redesign has seen packaging emissions cut by 65% and was guided by a wider mission, to “decarbonise distillation by 2024”. Bruichladdich global marketing director Gareth Brown says: “Packaging is what the consumer sees as the main manifestation of our brand to the world.

“So the redesign was a branding project, but at its heart was a sustainability project. The glass was optimised for effective transportation, we’re using lighter glass, organic glass coating, an increased recycled glass content and we can fit more bottles on pallets coming into and leaving the distillery.

“That’s important anywhere that you’re bottling, but when you’re doing 100% of your bottling on Islay, a rock in the middle of the Atlantic with very fragmented transport links, it becomes even more important. So it wasn’t just about the bottle itself, it was about the whole ecosystem, the whole footprint that our packaging leaves and ensuring that there was no stone left unturned.

“All of these ways are our way of trying to impact the planet less and it’s all very well doing these things, but you’ve got to make something that the consumer wants to buy. Moving away from the tin is a big step. Secondary packaging such as tins, boxes, cartons and tubes are kind of a given in single malt whisky, especially for premium brands, so for us to move away from it as one of the most premium and well-known brands in the categories is a big step.”

Bruichladdich, and others opting for similar solutions, are swimming against the current of decades of marketing messaging, where heavy glass correlates to higher quality, and premium single malts that are worth spending some money on are worth protecting in some sort of secondary packaging.

But Bruichladdich isn’t removing the tin blindly – since February 2021 it has offered direct customers the choice to opt out of secondary packaging, and to date, 60% have done just that, reassuring the brand that its customers are more concerned with the mission than traditional luxury trappings.

“We believe there is a consumer out there who is looking for brands that are values and purpose-driven. We often draw comparisons to the likes of clothing companies Patagonia, Allbirds, Finisterre, these guys, who we hold ourselves accountable to, they’re our compatriots, that’s who we are inspired by.”

Updating its packaging is perhaps the most visible way a brand can improve its environmental credentials, but it’s not everything. Bruichladdich was among the first whisky distilleries in the world to achieve B Corp status, demonstrating that inclusivity and sustainability span the breadth of the company’s operations.

“You could argue that sustainable practices have been at the heart of the business since its regeneration in 2001,” says Brown. “Sustainability is about community, it can be about the island of Islay, it is everything. The distillery was reborn with an ethos to be more sustainable.

“We take a holistic view of sustainability. It goes across the four pillars of our sustainability strategy: energy & emissions, agriculture & biodiversity, packaging & waste, and Islay & our community.

“They all contribute to decarbonisation and they all contribute to our B Corp status. In terms of our energy and emissions, we’re committed to move to biofuels to completely phase out fossil fuels.

“We’re exploring green hydrogen at the distillery, and we’ll be one of the first distilleries to go to green hydrogen, if we can pull it off. It’s not straightforward in any distillery, it’s even less straightforward when you’re on an island like we are.

“For agriculture and biodiversity, there are a number of areas around farming where we take real accountability for our impact from the ground up, starting with our farming practices – 50% of our barley now comes from Islay.

“We have a responsibility in that chain to ensure that it is as stable as possible.”

Community enhancement

As part of this pledge, the distillery launched The Regeneration Project earlier this year, a rye whisky created to use up the rye that was planted by one of the island’s farmers in the alternate season to barley to improve soil health – a positive agricultural and biodiversity move but also one that enhances Islay and the community.

“Islay is a magical place,” says Brown. “To have the amount of whisky distilleries on such a small rock with a population of 3,000 people makes it very special. But therein starts the challenge. It’s a population of 3,000 people, we currently have nine distilleries, soon to be 10, and probably 12 in the not-too-distant future.

“We’re the largest private employer on the island, we’re also one of the smallest distilleries, but we distil, mature and bottle all our whisky on Islay.

“That in turn comes with a lot of challenges. It’s a lot more expensive to produce on the island, Islay living is more expensive than it is on the mainland, but it’s probably logistics where our biggest challenge comes in.

“There are two flights a day and, depending if they run at all, there are four or five ferries a day that we’re reliant on to bring everything on and off the island.

“Just getting things on and off the island is a real challenge but that’s also what makes it special and unique. It’s not an easy place to make whisky, but when you do, it’s some of the best whisky in the world.”

Conversations about sustainability in Scotch tend to follow a script. Yes, there are examples of incredibly progressive distilleries making all the right moves, but this is against a backdrop of rampant greenwashing and empty gestures from the places that have the power to enact real change, but Brown isn’t so fatalistic.

“The industry is recognising that it’s what consumers are demanding,” he says. “When we became B Corp accredited three years ago, it was a point of difference, it’s becoming less of a point of difference now, and in 10 years’ time, it will just be expected by consumers.

“I’m seeing a marked difference now even from five years ago, which is great to see, but it’s going to take time. We are a manufacturing industry as well as a luxury goods industry and change will take time. What’s written above the door is ‘progress, drop by drop’, we’re always ab

OCTOMORE

THE 14TH CHAPTER OF EXTRAORDINARY

Our story is one of exploration and discovery.

With Octomore, we reach for the outer edges of this creed.

Born of restless, inquisitive minds, this 14th captivating series once again upends whisky making convention.

Fresh, imaginative combinations of barley provenance, intense peat levels, and casks with their own rich histories, create powerful, enduring experiences that arrest the senses.

While seemingly irreconcilable distilling principles are resolved with elegance, imagination, and flair.

Octomore 14.1

Octomore 14.1 offers not only a reference for the series, but essential context for the other expressions. Born of 100% Scottish barley and malted to 128.9 PPM, the oak influence of first fill ex American whiskey casks is subtle yet intrinsic to its character. From within its signature peat smoke, hints of citrus emerge, weaving gently through notes of vanilla and sweet caramel.

Octomore 14.2

Sharing barley provenance and peat intensity with the 14.1, five years in Oloroso and Amarone casks take Octomore 14.2 in a different, but no less intriguing direction. Peat smoke and sherry are famously complementary, resolving in a robust, savoury flavour. Notes of red currents, rich fruit cake and roasted coffee are enveloped in a rich, resonant peat smoke.

Octomore 14.3

Completing the trinity, Octomore 14.3 offers adventurous souls a vivid and powerful flavour. Anchored by super-heavy peat and harvests exclusively from its island home, the 14.3 is matured in a combination of bourbon casks and second fill wine casks, to an unrepentant 214.2 PPM. Aromas of hot, sweet mash join notes of sweet vanilla, toffee, and delicate earthy smoke, providing the collection with a bold, unforgettable finale

Bruno Schroder, investment banker who owned large estate in Islay and helped revive distillery Bruichladdich

Bruno Schroder, investment banker and landowner. Born: 17 January, 1933. Died: 20 February, 2019, aged 86

Bruno Schroder who has died aged 86 was the senior member of the family which effectively owned the highly successful Schroders PLC, an international fund manager and investment bank with responsibility for overseeing assets worth £450 billion.

With operations in about 30 countries and several thousand employees, it is a world-class asset manager on behalf of private and institutional investors including pension funds and also boasts a strong private banking arm.

Mr Schroder, who was one of Britain’s wealthiest men with a family fortune estimated at over £5 billion, was a non-executive director for over 50 years and the longest serving board member of any company on London’s FTSE 100 Index.

He was also proprietor of the 18,000 acre Dunlossit Estate, near Port Askaig in Islay, where as well as enjoying deer stalking he invested a lot of time and resources establishing it as a viable working estate, developing farming, forestry, quarrying, and renewable energy schemes among other initiatives.

In 2001 he and other investors were responsible for “resuscitating” Bruichladdich as a working distillery after it had been mothballed for several years while he also played a significant and highly appreciated role in the island’s community life, supporting a wide range of activities, including helping fund a lifeboat.

Heriot-Watt University awarded him the honorary degree of Doctorate of Letters in 2012 for “his contribution to Scottish whisky and other industries and to the preservation and development of the heritage, cultural life and economy of Scotland”.

He was the great great grandson of Johan Heinrich Schroder from a prominent Lutheran merchant family who in 1802 came to London as a 17-year-old from Hamburg to work with an elder brother in a trading house before founding the firm of J Henry Schroder and Co in 1804. It acquired a reputation for dealing in bonds for international borrowers, subsequently becoming involved in investment business as it evolved into the financial colossus it became.

He joined the company in November 1960 after his father Helmut, who led it for many years, suffered health issues, initially working in the internal audit division, then in commercial banking before moving into the field of corporate finance, advising big companies on takeovers and acquisitions. On 1 January, 1963 he was appointed a non-executive director and continued in that capacity for the rest of his life. Later boardroom manoeuvrings diminished his direct influence on the company, with his role becoming more of a supervisory, ambassadorial one.

Over many years he regularly attended his office on the seventh floor of the company’s then HQ in Gresham Street, London, diligently pursuing and promoting the company’s best interests. By 1999 Schroders were reportedly making annual profits in excess of £300 million and the following year the corporate financial side of the business was sold to Citibank group for £1.35 billion, a move said to have caused Mr Schroder “agony” given it had been such a prestigious and long-standing part of the operation.

Through a sophisticated share structure his family kept control of the remaining investment branch of the company, which was boosted after taking over asset manager Cazenove in 2013 and he maintained close interest in its affairs. Michael Dobson the Chair of Schroders PLC, commented on his death:” Bruno made an enormous contribution to Schroders for more than 50 years. Unwavering in support of the company, his long experience, good judgment and sense of humour will be sorely missed.”

Bruno Lionel Schroder was born in London, where with his sister Charmaine he was brought up by parents Helmut and Margaret, the daughter of Colonel Sir Lionel Darell. He was initially educated at Cothill House Preparatory School in rural Oxfordshire before attending Eton. National service followed as Lieutenant in the Life Guards, the British Army’s senior regiment and part of the Household Cavalry, after which he went to University College, Oxford to study politics, philosophy and economics, graduating with an Honours degree. He then obtained an MBA at Harvard before briefly working in Hamburg prior to returning to London in 1960.

In 1969 he married Patricia, known as “Piffa”, Holt, the daughter of an Irish soldier diplomat and in 1974 they had a daughter, Leonie. Piffa became a well known rifle shooter, winning trophies at Bisley and representing Ireland. The couple separated in the 1980s and later divorced. Mr Schroder later remarried to Baroness Suzanne von Malzahn.

As youngsters in the early years of the Second World War he and his sister were evacuated to Dunlossit which had been purchased in 1937 by his father. His lifelong love affair with Islay began in imposing Dunlossit House which has panoramic views over the Sound of Islay.

Piloting his own six-seater Pilatus 12 plane, he would regularly fly from London to Islay to spend time on the island, where he was popular with the locals who found him a likeable and unassuming individual, always ready to help with community activities. At the airport open day he provided free flights over the island on his plane.

He and his sister contributed almost a million pounds for a new lifeboat, “Helmut Schroder II”, in honour of their father. The development of his estate provided employment and helped the island economy considerably. Slightly further afield in Oban he supported the Argyllshire Gathering and helped create a trust to promote bagpipe playing. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Dunlossit Estate

Located to the north east of Islay, Dunlossit is a family owned estate set in 18,500 acres of hill ground, farmland and woodland.

Bought in 1937 by Helmut Schroder, the family - now in its fourth generation - are still very involved in the day to day management of the estate and spend much of their time living and working on Islay.

At Dunlossit we are committed to maintaining our land through farming, forestry, renewable energy and conservation

Since Bruichladdich’s resurrection in 2001, our ambitions have gone beyond the simple idea of making and selling single malt scotch whisky. Our goal was to be an antidote to the industry norm.

We set course to be pioneers, provocateurs and change makers. Reconnecting the land and the dram, re-evaluating the prescribed ‘rules’ of the industry, questioning where flavour comes from and understanding why agricultural ecosystems are important. This was a journey that would go on to inspire an army of distillers and drinkers across the world.

As we continue this path, we discover that the more we learn, the more we know we need to do. Today, our commitments to people and the planet grow stronger, ensuring we use our business as a force for good.

With our empowered team, we pursue this bigger purpose and maintain our mission to create the most thought-provoking spirits we can. As Progressive Hebridean Distillers, we hope our actions will stimulate other entrepreneurial start-ups to emerge on our island home and further afield, each one adding richness and diversity, paving the way for an increasingly dynamic and self-sufficient future.

ELUSIVE MISTERY

A personal creative odyssey

From time to time we sense a change in Head Distiller, Adam Hannett. He becomes elusive, somewhat secretive. As focused as ever, but somehow preoccupied.

Then it dawns. The pieces fall into place. It’s that time.

A successor to the extraordinary Black Art dynasty will soon be unveiled. Another exceptional confluence of quality and creativity, whose origin story will forever be sealed.

A legend, crafted by a culture of discretion

Each year, moved by a restless imagination and guided by a Head Distiller’s instinct, Adam gathers together elements which embody all that is truly Bruichladdich.

These serve as the fundamental markers of our identity, representing our commitment to crafting whisky without constraints.

Contrary to the Bruichladdich commitment to openness, the details of this creation will remain known only to one man. Its cipher to be neither shared nor recreated. It is, and will remain, an emblem of an unrepeatable moment in time.

Born of unparalleled fundamentals

Consistent with Bruichladdich tradition, Black Art 11 is matured exclusively on Islay, un-chill filtered, and bearing only its natural colour. Measuring 44.2% ABV, it is created using pre-renaissance casks from Bruichladdich distillery, which have matured here on Islay.

Black Art 11. A dram of mesmerising complexity

A rich, eclectic flavour profile envelops dried fruits, leather and citrus, pursued by a hint of sea breeze on the nose.

The palate offers dried fruits, barley sugar, butterscotch sweetness, praline and hints of coconut and fresh citrus.

A beautifully rounded finish sees oak and dried fruit emerge, with Christmas cake notes of sultanas, fig, marzipan, and lingering honey.

Unique and unrepeatable

As to what alchemy took place at Adam’s hand in the creation of Black Art 11, your guess is as good as ours. All we can be sure of is that, like its extraordinary forebears, the result of his endeavours speaks emphatically for itself. As with Black Art editions before it, questions will pursue its legend through time.

Bruichladdich Distillery has just launched the next single malt vintages in its unpeated Barley Exploration series; Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2014, Bruichladdich Organic Barley 2012 and Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2013.

What initially began in pursuit of extraordinary flavour, Bruichladdich’s Barley Exploration series continues to evolve year on year and seeks to reconnect whisky with its essential raw ingredient.

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2014 is priced at £70, The Organic 2012 is priced at £85 and Bere Barley 2013 is priced at £100. The Barley Exploration series can be purchased online or at selected

THE MALTS OF SCOTLAND

Series of 5 Scotch Single malt Whiskies brought out by Invergordon in Autumn of 1997 which

provoked reaction because of the names for this single malts they were called Craignure,

Druichan, Ferintosh, Glenluig, Kinaple.

When the marketing stratigists of Invergordon used this names they broke with a tradition

that give single malts the names of their distilleries, at least when they were proprietor’s

bottlings.

Invergordon was bought by Jim Beam in 1993, and finished production at the 3 Invergordon distilleries Bruichladdich, Tamnavulin, Tullibardine.

Invergordon owns Isle of Jura distillery in Craighouse and Bruichladdich and most likely Craignure and Druichan came from these, but neither they nor their then parent company,

Whyte & Mackay / JBB Greater Europe / owned by American Brands owned a distillery

in the Lowlands or one named Ferintosh or Glenluig, they described Ferintosh as Speyside

Glenluig as Highland.

The idea is that Glenluig is a Dalmore, Ferintosh is a Tamnavulin, Kincaple is a Glenkinchie,

THE MALTS OF SCOTLAND

GLENKINCHIE (Kincaple)

TAMNAVULIN ( Ferintosh)

DALMORE ( Glenluig)

ISLE OF JURA ( Craignure)

BRUICHLADDICH ( Druichant )

Bruichladdich reveals new Luxury Redefined range - including 18 and 30 year old whisky

Bruichladdich has launched the first of the brand’s permanent high age statement whisky range: The Bruichladdich Eighteen and The Bruichladdich Thirty.

8 th Feb 2024

Created, distilled, matured, and bottled on Islay, the expressions in the new Bruichladdich Luxury Redefined range are the liquid embodiment of the distillery’s pioneering past and steadfast commitment to the future - as they include eco-friendly packaging.

The bottlings feature an industry first bespoke, sustainable outer wrap.

Designed in collaboration with global creative partner, Thirst, and brought to life by James Cropper, a UK based luxury packaging specialist, the eco-friendly outer packaging is made from fully recyclable paper pulp and perfectly moulded to the shape of the proprietary glass bottle.

The light-weight outer packaging is completely plastic free and produced using 100% green energy, demonstrating that premium single malt Scotch whisky can be both sustainable and aesthetically pleasing.

The first permanent 18 Year Old single malt in the Bruichladdich portfolio, The Bruichladdich Eighteen is a true coming of age bottling.

When the distillery was reopened in 2001, the Bruichladdich team set course to reconnect land and dram, championing its raw ingredients, introducing the concept of terroir to the whisky world, and supporting the local community.

In pursuit of flavour and to support the agricultural community on Islay, Bruichladdich began working with one farmer in 2004 to raise a crop of locally grown barley.

This pioneering trial has now expanded to 20 vital farming partners today who grow over 50% of the distillery’s barley for total production.

“This is an ultra-high provenance single malt whisky,” said head distiller, Adam Hannett.

“Every single element of The Bruichladdich Eighteen - from the specific harvest and barely varietals used to the exact casks it has matured in - is fully traceable. Which, for a whisky of this age, is quite incredible.

"It’s about making delicious whisky with real provenance which also benefits the Islay community – and The Bruichladdich Eighteen is the embodiment of this ethos.”

Bottled at 50% ABV and distilled from this first crop of Islay grown barley, along with organically grown grain and varietals from the Scottish mainland, The Bruichladdich Eighteen is fully traceable, from farm to glass.

Matured exclusively on Islay primarily in ex-Bourbon casks and a small number of wine casks, The Bruichladdich Eighteen is the epitome of the brand’s signature, unpeated house style.

Full bodied and fragrant, notes of honey, butterscotch, and citrus orange open on the nose, with a medley of tropical fruits and toasted mellow oak lingering on the palate.

Spirit of Speyside launches preview of 2024 events - including a helicopter flight with Glenfarclas and the opening of Dunphail distillery

The Bruichladdich Thirty is the story of the Hebridean distillery’s resurrection. The Bruichladdich story almost ended in the late 20th century when the doors to the distillery were forced to close, with the site mothballed and workers laid off in 1994.

Over the next seven years, the two remaining members of staff safeguarded the casks which continued to mature in the depths of the warehouses, before the distillery was restored in 2001.

“The Bruichladdich Thirty has been distilled using these legacy – almost lost – casks, capturing a pivotal moment in time for the distillery,” explained Adam Hannett.

“This 30 year old single malt not only celebrates the resurrection of our Victorian distillery but pays homage to the men who laid down this spirit three decades ago.

“The future of Bruichladdich was uncertain in the early 1990s. From the brink of permanent closure to now the largest private employer on Islay, Bruichladdich Distillery and the local community has slowly rebuilt and flourished over the past three decades – all while this spirit has quietly matured.”

8 easy-to-make whisky cocktails to celebrate Burns night - including an Irn Bru old fashioned

The Bruichladdich Thirty has spent the entirety of its maturation life in handpicked, exceptionally rare ex-Bourbon casks.

A limited and refined single malt Scotch whisky, The Bruichladdich Thirty is bottled at 43.2% bringing the sweetness of toasted oak, honey and soft vanilla to the fore.

Bruichladdich 18 and 30 year old whisky

Delicate yet complex, a hint of dark chocolate complements the spirit’s elegant floral profile while the gentle influence of sea air lingers – a subtle nod to the whisky’s all Islay maturation.

Aligning with the B Corp distillery’s commitment to reduce its packaging and waste, the latest launches are housed in the brand’s new decanter-style proprietary bottle, created in collaboration with design agency, Thirst. The new bottle contains an average of 60% recycled glass content, is lighter in weight and features an elegant glass closure.

Gareth Brown, global marketing director at Bruichladdich Distillery, said: “These high age statement bottlings are a marker in time for Bruichladdich.

"Beyond incredible liquid alone, they signify how far we have come since our distillery was reopened in 2001.

"Our founders set out to create the most thought provoking spirits with provenance and authenticity at their heart - and The Bruichladdich Eighteen and The Bruichladdich Thirty are this vision realised.

“When it came to launching these prestige whiskies, we set out to prove that sustainable packaging can be simultaneously stripped back and beautiful, and I believe we have achieved this with our Luxury Redefined range.

"Rather than adding elaborate packaging or unnecessary weight we have chosen to subtract, letting form follow function to rethink what modern luxury can, and should, be.

“Everything - from the weight and functional design of the glass bottle to the recyclable materials, custom colour, and texture of the outer wrap - has been carefully considered to ensure that our new single malt expressions exude contemporary luxury, while staying true to our values.”

The Bruichladdich Eighteen is priced at £150 and The Bruichladdich Thirty is priced at £1,500. Both single malt expressions are available now online and at specialist whisky retailers.

BRUICHLADDICH

ROCK‘NDAAL

03.1

£100.83 50% ALC./VOL.

A true reflection of our distillery’s experimental cask exploration policy. The unique maturation profile brings sweetness and complexity, with ripe orchard fruits and layered spices complementing Bruichladdich’s signature citrus and floral style.

NO. OF BOTTLES RELEASED: 3,000

Pre-orders open on Monday 13th May, and will be despatched on 5th June.

ROCK'NDAAL 03

UNPLUGGED

Since 2001, Bruichladdich Distillery has released annual bottlings to celebrate Fèis Ile. For Rock'ndaal 2024, Head Distiller, Adam Hannett, has created two phenomenal expressions of Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte, featuring unique music-centric bottle designs inspired by Rock'ndaal.

“Every year I look forward to creating our Fèis Ìle expressions. We’re always pushing the boundaries at Bruichladdich Distillery, but these small batch bottlings are a chance to showcase some more unusual things,” says Adam.

The Bruichladdich Rock’ndaal 03.1 brings in bursts of orchard fruits and layered spices, enhancing the citrus and floral style of the Classic Laddie. Marzipan and honey join a mix of dried fruit, apricot, figs, and dried mango. A subtle minerality coats the palate; a salty tang is balanced with a hint of nutmeg and peaches in syrup. After 10 years maturing, it sits at a comfortable 50.0% abv.

Adam talks about the patience required to create this expression while watching a particular cask type develop.

“A few years ago, I got some interesting butts from Jan Petersen at Fernando de Castilla. Jan described how he had emptied some antique, 500-litre oak casks that had held this sherry for a long, long time and then used them to further age some brandy that he makes. I was keen to see what influence these casks would bring to our whisky as it was something we had never tried before. I filled the butts with a four-year-old Bruichladdich from 2013 that had been aged in fresh bourbon barrels.

“I’ve been checking on this whisky over the years to see how it was developing and could see great potential in the liquid from an early age, but I’ve had to wait until now to feel it’s reached a wonderful stage in its development.

“This expression is different to anything else we’ve ever released. I hope people enjoy it as much as I do.”

The Port Charlotte Rock’ndaal 03.2 sits at 54% abv after having a full-term maturation in bourbon casks and first-fill Sauternes casks. Flavours of ripe stoned fruits, sweet peach, and crème brulee are prominent, beautifully balanced by Port Charlotte’s signature peat smoke. At At 20 years old, this expression is incredibly smooth and luxurious in texture, with crystalised lemon rind providing vibrancy and balance.

Rock’ndaal 03.2 is the oldest Port Charlotte released to date. Like all of our malts, it’s matured exclusively on Islay.

Adam says he’s been keen to see the development of the Port Charlotte that Jim McEwan created two decades ago and passed on to him to watch over as it matured on the shores of Lochindaal. When considering what whiskies to bottle for this year’s festival, he felt this bottling would be an opportunity to reflect on the early days of the rebirth of Bruichladdich Distillery and how far we have come.

“There’s a real element of purity to the spirit,” says Adam. “Sweetness and smoke are beautifully balanced, with the flavourful bourbon casks bringing mellow toasted oak while the sauternes casks add an abundance of fruit. With more time spent in the cask, the presence of Port Charlotte’s signature smoke is subtle yet refined, with a real softness on the palate.

“In my privileged position as Head Distiller, I am afforded the opportunity to taste amazing whisky on a daily basis and this expression of Port Charlotte is amongst my favourite whiskies ever tasted. It’s simply too good not to share.”

Almost as interesting as the liquids themselves are the bottle designs. Inspired by the music of Rock’ndaal, Designer, Dan Roy, set out to make a connection between liquid and sound on a deeper level.

When he began working with the Fèis bottle designs two years ago, he wanted to show off the personalities of the Ileachs. Fèis, after all, is not specifically a whisky festival, but a festival all about Islay. He also wanted to concentrate on the party atmosphere that makes Bruichladdich Distillery’s festival day so popular. All of this led to vibrant colours and geometric shapes becoming the basis for the bottle designs.

The designs for the 2023 bottles grew out of the idea that locals sometimes refer to drams of whisky as “wee sweeties.”

“Exploring our distillery and having such close access sometimes feels like you’re a kid in a candy shop,” says Dan. “All the complex flavours can be expressed in an explosion of pattern, colour, and simple geometric forms, which lends itself nicely to the vibrant, music-based event we’ve become known for hosting.”

This year, Dan’s inspiration came from cymatics: the science of visualising audio frequencies. Sound waves can be visualised by placing water on top of a low-frequency speaker. When an instrument is activated, the water vibrates in resonance with the form of the sound wave. The wave patterns in the water change to reflect the changes in the pitch and volume of the sound.

The Rock’ndaal bottle designs for 2024 “create a parallel between the musical harmonies of the bands and the sampling of whisky to make harmonies when marrying whiskies together,” Dan explains.

By using geometric shapes and sound waves, Dan created a style that’s distinct from the distillery’s standard releases. The connection between sound and liquid gives him a through line from one Rock’ndall to the next, but still allows him to play with new forms that stand out from the designs of hundreds of other distilleries.

See the bottle designs and taste these small-batch bottlings for yourself at this year’s Rock’ndaal on May 26th! Any remaining Rock’ndaal 03 bottles will be available to purchase online after the event.

Bruichladdich 18 & 30 bottles

Of all the distilleries on Islay, Bruichladdich surely has the most interesting story to tell from the last 25 years. Yes, much has been made of Ardbeg coming back from the dead, and its story is certainly compelling. Bruichladdich’s story, however, has a bit more grit. Its tale speaks more of hard work and toil; of sweat and determination by a small and dedicated team of personnel; of a community that rallied; and an operation that ran off the smell of an oily rag. Many years later, it also speaks of reward.

At the end of the 20th century, both Bruichladdich and Ardbeg had much in common. Both were closed/mothballed at the time, despite their long histories. Both had fallen into various states of disrepair. Both had a legacy of tasty and celebrated whiskies, and yet were seemingly on the brink of being lost forever. Ardbeg’s lifeline came via the Glenmorangie company (which, a few short years later, would be acquired by LVMH). Bruichladdich’s lifeline came via a consortium of private investors and sweat equity that was lead by Mark Reynier. Reynier gathered some good people around him, key of whom were the legendary Jim McEwan, former distiller and manager at Bowmore, and Duncan McGillivray. McGillivray had worked previously at Bruichladdich as a stillman, brewer, and all-round “mechanic”, and he was General Manager when the distillery closed in 1994.

Reynier’s team brought the distillery back to life and the first spirit flowed from the stills again in 2001. The next few years saw a cascade of weird and wacky releases as the distillery juggled the tricky balance between needing cash flow and building a brand, yet having to shift aging whisky that had been filled into tired, lacklustre casks. (The distillery’s former owners, Whyte & Mackay, had little interest in the brand as a single malt). A seemingly endless string of NAS whiskies hit the market, many of them clever compositions that blended aged, pre-1994 stock with younger whisky produced by the new team. Courtesy of Reynier’s background in the wine trade and his other venture, Murray McDavid, a lot of stock was re-racked into exotic wine casks in an attempt to breathe new life into the tired spirit. (Benriach would do precisely the same thing a year or two later). Slowly, the brand developed its persona; McEwan travelled the world as an ambassador and salesman (not just for Bruichladdich, but for Islay in general), and the distillery began to land its punches. Heavily peated variants, Port Charlotte and Octomore, added to the distillery’s intrigue and appeal. Life over on the western side of Islay was looking good.

So good, in fact, that others wanted a piece of it. Reynier eventually sold the distillery to Rémy Cointreau in 2012 for a reported £58M. Rémy has since played its hand wisely in the ensuing years, and while McGillivray and McEwan retired in 2014 and 2015 respectively, much of the brand’s personality remains as it was when Reynier sold it.

So with the above wee history as background, there was excitement this year with the release of two new additions to the Bruichladdich core-range: The 18yo and 30yo, styled as Bruichladdich Eighteen and Bruichladdich Thirty. While those two particular age statements are neither new nor unique in the world of Scotch whisky, the 30yo has a bit more significance for Bruichladdich: It is all spirit from 1994 (and earlier) that pre-dates the distillery’s closure.

The two new whiskies from part of Bruichladdich’s new Luxury Re/defined range. The new Bruichladdich 18yo and Bruichladdich 30yo had their unveiling in Australia this month, with the launch being held at the acclaimed nel restaurant in Sydney. Celebrated chef, Nelly Robinson, prepared a superb menu that was a playful twist on some traditional Scottish staples, and guests enjoyed both the drams and the food as the whiskies’ stories were told.

Gallery pics from Bruichladdich Eighteen and Bruichladdich Thirty launch

One of the more notable and commendable features of both the 18yo and Bruichladdich 30yo is their unique packaging. In short, it’s simple, unadorned, and yet instantly striking! More critically, the packaging carries some impressive credentials: It’s completely plastic-free and is produced using 100% green energy. The bottles themselves feature an average of 60% recycled glass content.

It’s a point worth emphasising. Many whisky enthusiasts have lamented for years at the cost of rare or desirable whiskies where the fancy packaging has surely contributed to the whisky’s high shelf price. Indeed, for a container that is often dispensed with as soon as the whisky is opened, the exorbitant and costly designs of the packaging around many whiskies today is an area in need of reform. Bruichladdich has done exactly that, with the new Bruichladdich 18 and 30 coming in a very simple “wrap”. Made from 100% sustainable, recyclable paper pulp, the packaging has already won several awards and accolades.

But, as we always say here at Whisky & Wisdom, all of this marketing collateral counts for little if the juice inside the bottle underwhelms. So how do the two new whiskies stack up? Well, the good news is that they stack up well. Very well. To the amusement of a few at the nel dinner, W&W retreated and spent some time to really get acquainted with these whiskies. We wrote the following notes:

Bruichladdich 18 and Bruichladdich 30 bottles

Bruichladdich 18yo, 50% ABV

The Bruichladdich 18yo – sorry, Bruichladdich Eighteen – has been put together using post 2001-made stock. The spirit was matured primarily in ex-bourbon casks, although a small number of Sauternes and Port casks also contribute to the vatting. In keeping with Bruichladdich’s philosophy, all casks were 100% matured on Islay. (Despite what the industry would wish you to believe, this is not overly common. A surprising amount of Islay spirit leaves the island in tanks on trucks and is filled into cask on the mainland where it’s matured in the warehousing belts between Glasgow and Edinburgh). We jotted down the following tasting notes:

Nose: Sweet barley malt leaps out of the glass, followed by some maritime spray. These seem to combine to give tantalising aromas of caramel (salted caramel?), honey, and butterscotch. Given time with air, some orange citrus also emerges. It’s a complex and appealing nose.

Palate: Tropical fruits galore! There’s tinned peaches, pears, citrus; all nicely dovetailed with toasted oak notes, maybe some treacle, and buttered crumpets.

Finish: It’s a medium-to-long finish that morphs from sweet to bitter-sweet, leaving a very pleasing and satisfying footprint.

Comments: I8 years of age can be a threshold for many distilleries and their malts, often being the precipice at which the spirit transforms from youthful and vibrant, to aged and dignified. Somehow, this Bruichladdich 18yo achieves a foot in each camp. It is all things at once, and it is wonderfully drinkable.

Bruichladdich 30yo, 43.2% ABV

The Bruichladdich Thirty obviously comes from 1994 stock and older, and was matured 100% in ex-bourbon casks. Needless to say, the casks are rare: Of the 74,000 casks in Bruichladdich’s warehouses, less than 1% of them pre-date the 2001 revival! We jotted down the following thoughts at the launch event:

Nose: Similar to the 18yo, the first burst of aromas has loads of fruit. Tropical fruit, e.g. pineapple and melon. Then comes crème-brulee with raspberries, and lots of dried floral aromas. For an old whisky, this smells anything but tired.

Palate: It’s on the palate that 30+ years of time in, presumably, 2nd-fill or refill casks has worked its magic. 30 years in a 1st-fill would kill most whiskies, but the time in refill casks means the oak has not overwhelmed the spirit. Yes, it’s dignified and refined, but it has none of the dryness or tannic oak that can undermine other whiskies of this age. Instead, there’s some pleasant spice; orchard fruits (e.g. pears and apple skins); and then a delightful wave of hard toffee and peanut brittle to deliver sweetness at the tail.

Finish: There’s a pleasant brininess to the finish, hinting at the whisky’s maritime upbringing, and it also drawing out a soft and satisfying dryness to complement the sweetness on the palate.

Comments: This is HUGELY complex. There’s tremendous harmony between the malt, oak, alcohol, base spirit, and the Islay air. And, whilst bottled at the relatively lower strength of 43.2% ABV, the whisky still delivers plenty of mouthfeel, energy, and flavour. Top marks.

– – – – – – – – – –

Bruichladdich Eighteen and Bruichladdich Thirty are now available in most markets around the world. RRP’s are £150 / US$190 / AU$320 for the Bruichladdich 18yo, and £1,500 / US$2,295 / AU$2,800 for the Bruichladdich 30yo.

No, not cheap whiskies, and those price tags won’t be for everyone – but then that is the status quo for older expressions these days. Fortunately, in this instance, you can have confidence in the drams’ quality.

Whisky and Wisdom

SMWS Jim McEwan & Bruichladdich Masterclass

Jim McEwan

On 1st October, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (Australia) held a very special SMWS / Bruichladdich / Jim McEwan masterclass.

It’s hard to write an objective, even a subjective review of a tasting event when you’re one of the co-hosts and facilitators of the event. However, this was a fantastic evening, with so much whisky love in the air, and so one can’t help but give some account of the evening. So forgive me if it comes across as a little biased…..

Jim McEwan, industry legend, is currently on a promotional tour across Australia to share the Bruichladdich story with whisky drinkers. Trade and open-to-the-public tastings have been organised in most of the capital cities, and the Australian distributor, South Trade, has got Jim on an incredibly busy schedule, with up to three or four events each day for the next two weeks. And Jim wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Australia LOVES to team up with distributors, distilleries, and “the big brands” where and when possible, and the planning was set in motion early to ensure we could deliver a corker of a night.

90-odd people squeezed into the Royal Automobile Club in Sydney, and were handed a gin & tonic on arrival. Not your typical way to start a whisky tasting, but with the gin being The Botanist, distilled at Bruichladdich, it set the tone of the evening nicely. Yours truly took care of the welcomes and introduction, before handing the reins over to Jim. And from that point, the earth stood still for a few hours.

One of the things I love about Jim McEwan and Bruichladdich (having met with him and seen him in action many times over the last 10 years) is that he tells not just the story of the whisky, but of the people and the community who make it. And so our audience this evening got not just a glimpse of Jim and his curriculum vitae, but also the people behind the scenes who live and breathe Bruichladdich each day: The farmers, the visitor centre staff, the mashmen, the brewers, the distillers, the warehousemen, the people in the bottling hall, and even the young lady who inserts the promo brochure into the bottle tins.

The man has an incredible sense of humour and entertains his audiences with every word. So much so, that it was almost possible to overlook the amazing whiskies that were poured before us. Until you nosed and tasted them. All the whiskies on the table were fantastic: No caramel, no chill-filtration, this was REAL whisky and each one of them a winner its own way.

It wouldn’t be an SMWS event without an SMWS whisky, and so one was into the line up. The whisky menu on the night was as follows:

The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley

Islay Barley 2006

Black Art

Port Charlotte Scottish Barley

Port Charlotte 10yo

SMWS 127.39 11yo PC single cask from a Refill Sherry Butt at 66.7% ABV

Octomore 6.1

And it didn’t stop there. Jim said some very kind words about the Society and what we’ve done locally in Australia to promote both Bruichladdich and the single malt category in general. In recognition of this, he elected to unveil – for the first time anywhere – a new expression of Octomore.

And so, with much fanfare, an eighth whisky was brought out for the night. Roughly 5.5 years old, and matured in virgin French oak, this was a sublime whisky moment both in its sentiment and on the palate, and – I won’t lie – it brought a tear to my eye. Jim pressed home the point that we were the first people in the world to taste this, and we were humbled and honoured. And, all sentiment aside, I have to say it was an incredibly tasty, flavoursome, and beautifully balanced whisky. Was it my top scoring dram of the night? Yes. Thank you, Jim.

The evening concluded with Jim’s legendary traditional Highland toast, and those who were brave enough stood up on the chairs and placed one foot on the table for the delivery. I’d done this toast with Jim several times before, but on this particular evening, I couldn’t help but give it considerably more gusto!

Jim retreated to one side of the room and made himself available to sign bottles (everything that was up for tasting could be purchased there and then on the night) and to answer questions and pose for photographs. Some might have looked at this evening as a promotional event for the brands involved. Personally, the night was simply about spending time with a good friend, a whisky comrade, and to marvel at the passion, charisma, and skill he brings to the game.

35 YEARS OF BUDGIE

October 15th marked Duncan 'The Budgie' McFadyen’s, 35th anniversary with Bruichladdich Distillery, making him the oldest Bruichladdich spirit that you can still find in production. That’s quite a feat considering the distillery was mothballed from 1994 until 2001. Budgie was one of two staff members who stayed on during those long years to safeguard the casks. From the beginning, Budgie has moved through many roles, including mashman, maintenance engineer, tour guide, and stillman. He is the keeper of innumerable stories and undoubtedly an icon and legend of Bruichladdich Distillery.

CEO Douglas Taylor says, “Even when the distillery was mothballed Budgie was keeping a careful eye on the casks. When we re-opened, he was delighted to be part of a living breathing distillery again—teaching us with Duncan McGillivray how it all worked, becoming world-famous along the road... everyone knows Budgie. (We often wonder how many photographs he’s in! Only Mary McGregor may be in more). Three and a half decades later, he’s still making our wonderful spirit at Bruichladdich. There’s no stopping him.

So here’s to you Budgie—from all of us inside the gates and beyond. You’re a legend! Sláinte”