Bruichladdich
Bruichladdich Distillery
Region: Islay, Scotland. PA49 7UN
Founded: 1881
Status: Active
Owner: Remy Cointreau
Water source: Bruichladdich loch (mash), burn (cooling), and Octomore spring (bottling)
Mashtun: Cast iron open-topped
Washbacks: 6x Oregon pine
Stills: 2x Wash 2x Spirit 1 Lomond
Capacity: 1.5 million litres per annum
History:
Bruichladdich was built in 1881 by the Harvey brothers—William (32), John (31) and Robert (23)—on the shore of Loch Indaal, on the Rinns of Islay, the westernmost part of the island. The Harveys were a dynastic whisky family that had owned two Glasgow distilleries since 1770. Using an inheritance, the three brothers combined their talents to build a third distillery—Bruichladdich—designed by John, engineered by Robert, and financed by William and other family members. At the time, the distillery was a state-of-the-art design unlike Islay’s older distilleries, which had developed from old farm buildings. It was built from stone from the sea shore and has a very efficient layout, built around a large, spacious courtyard.
The uniquely tall and narrow-necked stills were chosen to produce a very pure and original spirit, the opposite of the styles produced by the older farm distilleries. Bruichladdich was run by William Harvey, after a quarrel with his brothers before the distillery was even completed, until a fire in 1934 and his death in 1936. Over the next forty years it subsequently changed owners several times as a result of corporate take-overs and rationalisation of the industry, narrowly avoiding closure until 1994, when it was shut down as being ‘surplus to requirements’.
The distillery was subsequently purchased by a group of private investors led by Mark Reynier of Murray McDavid on 19 December 2000. Jim McEwan, who had worked at Bowmore Distillery since the age of 15, was hired as master distiller and production director. Between January and May 2001 the whole distillery was dismantled and reassembled, with the original Victorian décor and equipment retained. Having escaped modernisation, most of the original Harvey machinery is still in use today. No computers are used in production with all processes controlled by a pool of skilled artisans who pass on information orally and largely measure progress using dipsticks and simple flotation devices.
On 23 July 2012, it was announced that Rémy Cointreau reached an agreement with Bruichladdich to buy the distillery for a sum of £58m.
Links:
Our visit: 26th April 2014 WOLS Islay Trip
Photos:
Bruichladdich Whisky Reviews:
Bruichladdich 12 Year Old 1998/2011 Ancien Regime (46%, OB, Feis Ile, Bourbon Casks, 2500 Bottles) - Review: Bruichladdich 12 Year Old 1998 Ancien Regime Feis Ile 2011 Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Bruichladdich Feis Ile 2011 ABV: 46% Cost: £81.46 from Master of Malt […]
Bruichladdich 15 Years Old 2001/2016 (56.8%, OB, Private Cask, Bourbon HH #0560) - Whisky Review: Bruichladdich 15 Years Old 2001 Bourbon HHD #0560 Category: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Bruichladdich Distillery; Private Single Cask Bottling ABV: 56.8% Cost: ? What they […]
Bruichladdich 1994/2015 Micro-Provenance (50.6%, OB, Bourbon & Sauternes Finish Cask #013, 253 Bottles) - Review: Bruichladdich Micro-Provenance Cask 013 Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Official for #LaddieMP3 ABV: 50.6% Cost: £90 Score: 86/100 What they say: The Micro Provenance series is unique […]
Bruichladdich 2003/2015 Micro-Provenance (60.1%, OB, Port HH #543, 250 Bottles) - Review: Bruichladdich Micro-Provenance Cask 543 Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Rémy Cointreau for #LaddieMP3 ABV: 60.1% Cost: £90 for 3x 20cl Score: 87/100 What they say: Porto cask […]
Bruichladdich 2003/2015 Micro-Provenance (62.2%, OB, Sherry Cask #229, 259 Bottles) - Review: Bruichladdich Micro-Provenance Cask 229 Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Rémy Cointreau for #LaddieMP3 ABV: 62.2% Cost: £90 for 3x 20cl Score: 84/100 What they say: What I […]
Bruichladdich 2007 Islay Barley Rockside Farm (50%, OB, +/-2015) - Review: Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2007 Rockside Farm single malt scotch whisky Bruichladdich Distillery – Remy Cointreau 50% ABV £42.49 from Master of Malt Score: 84/100 What they say: bruichladdich Islay Barley 2007 […]
Bruichladdich 2008 Bere Barley 2008 (50%, OB, +/-2014) - Review: Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2008 UHI Orkney Farms single malt scotch whisky Bruichladdich Distillery – Remy Cointreau 50% ABV £54.57 from Master of Malt (now sold out) Score: 86/100 What they say: bruichladdich […]
Bruichladdich 24 Years Old 1989/2014 (51.4%, OB, Laddie Crew Valinch 07 Andy Ritchie, Rioja Wine Cask #R05/135-019, 500 Bottles) - Whisky Review: Bruichladdich 24 Years Old Valinch 7 Andy Ritchie (Laddie Crew) Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Hand-fill Distillery Only ABV: 51.4% Cost: £100 What they say: […]
Bruichladdich 30 Years Old 1986/2017 Sherry: The Magnificent Seven (44.6%, OB, Rare Casks) - Delicious, really nutty and full of chocolate before moving into steamed fruit pudding soaked with rum or sherry. Very Christmas-like. From memory this is only the second Oloroso-matured and PX finished whisky we have knowingly sampled and both were really on the button for me flavour-wise. 93/100
Bruichladdich Cuvée 382 (46%, OB, La Berenice MG41 [L’Age d’Or], Sauternes/Barsac Cask, +/-2012) - Bruichladdich Cuvee 382 La Berenice 46% ABV, £100 for 70cl Score: 89/100 What they say: This American-oak-aged Bruichladdich has been further matured in casks that previously contained the lush sweet white wines […]
Bruichladdich Organic (46%, OB, Mid Coul, Coulmore, Mains of Tullibardine Farms, 2011) - Bruichladdich Organic (Official Bottling) NAS, 46% ABV, RRP £35 for 70cl Score 73/100 What they say: Following on from our landmark Organic 2003 vintage, this release is a multi-vintage vatting in which Jim […]
Bruichladdich Rocks (46%, OB, +/-2010) - Bruichladdich Rocks. NAS, 46% ABV, £35 for 70cl Score 77/100 What they say: Bruichladdich Rocks, in more ways than one – as only Bruichladdich can. A bracing, light and floral dram that […]
Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley (50%, OB, +/-2014) - The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley 50% ABV, £40 for 70cl Score: 80/100 What they say: This single malt Scotch whisky has been crafted by master distiller Jim McEwan from individually selected casks to […]
Bruichladdich The Laddie Eight (50%, OB, +/-2016) - Review: Bruichladdich The Laddie Eight Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Rémy Cointreau ABV: 50% Cost: £63.60 from Bruichladdich What they say: The classic, complex Bruichladdich dram, and our […]
Bruichladdich The Organic Scottish Barley (50%, OB, +/-2014) - Review: Bruichladdich The Organic Scottish Barley single malt scotch whisky Bruichladdich Distillery – Remy Cointreau 50% ABV £64.26 for 1L from Master of Malt Score: 82/100 What they say: bruichladdich The Organic […]
Octomore 06.1/167ppm Scottish Barley ~ 57% (Bruichladdich) - Octomore 06.1/167ppm Scottish Barley 57% ABV, £90 for 70cl Score: 90/100 What they say: The world’s most heavily peated whisky, this is the sixth edition of the uber-experimental cult Octomore. Titanic amounts […]
Octomore 07.2 / 208ppm Cask Evolution ~ 58.5% (Bruichladdich) - Review: Octomore 07.2 5 year old single malt scotch whisky Bruichladdich Distillery – Remy Cointreau 58.5% ABV £118.18 from Master of Malt Score: 87/100 What they say: octomore07.2/ 208ppm Cask Evolution The […]
Octomore Masterclass_08.1/167ppm (59.3%, OB, +/-2017) - Much more refined and a little less challenging than previous Octomores (from memory!). There is a good sweetness that helps roll that tar, wax and smoke out all over your mouth. 88/100
Port Charlotte 12 Years Old 2002 127.42 Peat freak heaven ~ 63% (SMWS) - Port Charlotte 12 Years Old 2002 – 127.42 Peat freak heaven Islay single malt scotch whisky 63% ABV, £61.30 buy from SMWS Score: 87/100 What they say: Cask 127.42 Colour: Dull amber Flavour: […]
Port Charlotte 12 Years Old 2003 127.44 Cantina Mexicana ~ 56.9% (SMWS) - Review: Port Charlotte 12 Years Old 2003 127.44 Cantina Mexicana Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask 127.44 ABV: 56.9% Cost: £120 buy […]
Port Charlotte 2007/2016 CC:01 (57.8%, OB) - Review: Port Charlotte 2007 CC:01 Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Rémy Cointreau ABV: 57.8% Cost: £63.60 from Bruichladdich What they say: The Port Charlotte 2007 CC:01 is […]
Port Charlotte 9 Years Old 2003 127.37 Dinosaurs Dancing to Stravinsky ~ 66.5% (SMWS) - SMWS 127.37 Dinosaurs Dancing to Stravinsky Port Charlotte 9 Years Old 2003 single malt scotch whisky 66.5% ABV, £109.50 buy from SMWS Score: 87/100 What they say: Cask No. 127.37 Nose: The initial […]
Port Charlotte An Turas Mor ~ 46% (Bruichladdich) - Review: Port Charlotte An Turas Mor single malt scotch whisky Bruichladdich Distillery – Remy Cointreau 46% ABV £35.39 from Master of Malt Score: 88/100 What they say: Port Charlotte Heavily peated Heavily […]
Port Charlotte PC11 ~ 59.5% (Bruichladdich) - Port Charlotte PC11 EÃ’RNA NA H-ALBA Heavily Peated 59.5% ABV, £150 for 70cl Score: 88/100 What they say: This seventh annual release in our Port Charlotte PC series encounters this heavily peated […]
Port Charlotte PC12 OILEANACH FURACHAIL ~ 58.7% (Bruichladdich) - Port Charlotte PC12 OILEANACH FURACHAIL (Travel Retail Exclusive) Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt 58.7% ABV, ~£110 for 70cl Score: 88/100 What they say: In the Port Charlotte PC range we celebrate change. […]
Port Charlotte Scottish Barley ~ 50% (Bruichladdich) - Port Charlotte Scottish Barley 50% ABV, £44.95 for 70cl available at Royal Mile Whiskies (here) Score: 88/100 What they say: Pronounced “brook-laddie,” Bruichladdich sits close to Port Charlotte on Islay. Apart from a […]
