Bruichladdich

Bruichladdich stands on the Rhinns of Islay, facing Loch Indaal across from Bowmore. It was built in 1881, fell silent in 1994 and was revived in 2001 by a group of private investors, with Jim McEwan as production director. Rémy Cointreau bought the distillery in 2012.

The distillery still runs much of its Victorian equipment, including an open cast-iron mash tun, and its tall, narrow stills give a clean, fruity, oily spirit. It makes three styles: unpeated Bruichladdich, heavily peated Port Charlotte and Octomore, among the most heavily peated whiskies made anywhere. Barley is central to its approach, with releases from Scottish barley, Islay-grown barley from named farms and organic barley.

Official bottlings are generally released without chill filtration or added colouring. Buyers will meet The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley, the Islay Barley vintages such as 2011 and 2012, the Organic Scottish Barley release, Port Charlotte 10 and Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2013, numbered Octomore editions and older ages such as The Laddie Sixteen.

Bruichladdich is widely bottled by independents, including Master of Malt, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Dramfool, Hunter Laing and Malts of Scotland. Peated casks often appear under the Port Charlotte name, and some appear simply as Islay single malt without the distillery named.