🥃 Bruichladdich
Distillery on the Rhinns of Islay, built in 1881; Bruichladdich (unpeated), Port Charlotte and Octomore whiskies and The Botanist gin; owned by Rémy Cointreau.
Bruichladdich is a distillery and brand of Scotch single malt whisky on the Rhinns of Islay, on the shore of Loch Indaal. It was built in 1881, closed in 1995 and revived in 2001. Today the distillery belongs to the French group Rémy Cointreau and makes three whisky lines and The Botanist gin.
History. The distillery was built in 1881 by the Harvey brothers. Ownership changed several times: DCL, Invergordon, Whyte & Mackay. It stopped production in 1995, and in 2001 it was revived by island landowners and a London wine merchant. In 2012 Rémy Cointreau acquired the company.
How it is made. Whiskypedia lists four stills, a capacity of about 1.5 million litres of pure alcohol and six wooden washbacks. Bottling is done at the distillery itself, on a line built after 2001. There is no malting floor on Islay yet: the malt is made in Inverness, but according to Whiskypedia the distillery plans floor maltings on the island. Since 2004 the distillery has been among the first to grow barley on Islay; more than 40% of its needs is already local. According to Difford's Guide, the whisky is not chill-filtered and not coloured with caramel.
The lines. Bruichladdich is unpeated, Port Charlotte is peated at about 40 ppm, and Octomore is the most heavily peated; sources disagree on its ppm, from 80 to over 160. The Botanist gin is made from 9 core and 22 local botanicals in a Lomond still nicknamed "Ugly Betty".
Why this matters to you. Not all Islay whiskies are smoky: Bruichladdich is unpeated, while Octomore is among the most heavily peated. The age on the label is the age of the youngest whisky. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1881, Harvey brothers (Rhinns of Islay); closed 1995, revived 2001 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Islay) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky (whisky/whiskey) |
| Raw material | malted barley; more than 40% of the barley grown on Islay; Bruichladdich is unpeated |
| Distillation method | twice, four copper stills; capacity ~1.5 million litres of pure alcohol a year |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in oak by law |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | at least 40% ABV by law; versions differ |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Bruichladdich → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Rémy Cointreau
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Islay whisky
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Peated whisky, 🥃 Laphroaig, 🥃 Ardbeg, 🥃 Bowmore, 🥃 Bowmore, 🥃 Kilchoman, 🥃 Kilchoman, 🥃 Yamazaki, 🥃 Yamazaki, 🥃 Grant's, 🥃 Grant's
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that all Islay whiskies are smoky?
No. Bruichladdich is made from unpeated malt, Port Charlotte has about 40 ppm, and Octomore is the most heavily peated, from 80 to over 160 ppm depending on the source.
Who owns Bruichladdich?
Rémy Cointreau, which acquired the distillery in 2012. The Bruichladdich Distillery Company remains the operating company.
When was the distillery closed?
In 1995, and it was revived in 2001.
What is The Botanist?
A gin from the same distillery: 9 core botanicals and 22 foraged on Islay. It is made in a Lomond still nicknamed "Ugly Betty".
Is Bruichladdich chill-filtered?
No, according to Difford's Guide. The whisky is not coloured with caramel either.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
Similar
🥃 Port Ellen · 🥃 Glengyle · 🥃 Kilchoman · 🥃 Isle of Jura · 🥃 Knockdhu · 🥃 Abhainn Dearg
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): Bruichladdich (1881, Harvey brothers, 1995 closure, 2001 reopening, 2012 Rémy Cointreau, four stills, 1.5 mln lpa, Bruichladdich/Port Charlotte/Octomore, Botanist)
- Difford's Guide: Bruichladdich Distillery (Harvey brothers 1881, Rémy Cointreau, peating levels, Islay barley from 2004, Botanist, no chill-filtration or caramel colouring)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)