FAQs

At Bruichladdich Distillery, we are committed to offering you the best possible experience whenever and wherever you engage with us, in person and online. We have updated the design of the current website and are hosting it on a new platform so that we can bring you an improved offering - from our ongoing news, to our products and any purchases you make with us. We are continually updating the site with new products, content and functionality, but if there is something specific you are looking for, please don't hesitate to contact us.

We have taken the opportunity to update the design of our website and have archived some of our older website content. This includes product pages for our previous releases that are no longer for sale. Don't worry, we'll be re-introducing a lot of our archive content over time. If there is something specific you are looking for or can't wait to reappear, please contact us and we will be happy to help.

We have separate UK, France and Germany websites, which offers the same online experience and Bruichladdich Distillery content as our global site but allows you to purchase our current releases online for fulfilment and delivery within these respective countries.

At Bruichladdich Distillery, we aim to create the most thought provoking spirits possible and as progressive Hebridean distillers, that includes producing four different and unique spirits from one distillery:

Bruichladdich, our unpeated Islay single malt Scotch whisky
Port Charlotte, our heavily peated Islay single malt Scotch whisky (40PPM)
Octomore, the world’s most heavily peated Scotch whisky, released annually (80+PPM)
The Botanist Gin, the first Islay dry gin, created 10 years after Bruichladdich Distillery was brought back to life in 2001

Bruichladdich Distillery is situated on the southwestern tip of the island of Islay, in the Scottish Hebrides. You can find us at the below address, visit the shop or book a tour. Further information can also be found on our Find Us page. We are open seven days a week from 10am - 5.30pm.

Address:
Bruichladdich Distillery,
Isle of Islay, Argyll, Scotland,
United Kingdom.
PA49 7UN

The distillery was first established in 1881 by the Harvey brothers and survived through periods of closure, including world wars and economic uncertainty. In 1994, Bruichladdich distillery closed again for what looked to be for good. Only two of the team at that time continued on site, protecting the property and importantly, safeguarding the casks maturing there.

Bruichladdich Distillery was resurrected in 2001 by Mark Reynier and Simon Coughlin, bringing a wealth of experience in the world of wine, along with Jim McEwan, a long established expert in the whisky world and our previous Master Distiller. With the aim of breathing new life into the community and taking direct inspiration and influence from the land (bringing concepts more common in the wine world such as terroir to our whisky making), the new Bruichladdich aimed to keep as much of the operations on Islay as possible.

This continues to be evident in every part of our supply chain today, from the farmers we work with to harness different barley varietals (52% of annual production now uses Islay barley) to the breadth and depth of the operations on site at the distillery itself. Everything is conceived, distilled, bottled and matured on Islay.

In 2020, we became one of the only distilleries in the world to be B Corp certified, recognising our ongoing approach and ethos in terms of balancing profit and purpose. Our mission is to create the most thought provoking spirits we can while continuingly growing our commitment to people and the planet to ensure we use our business as a force for good.

Bruichladdich Distillery was purchased by our parent company, Remy Cointreau, in 2012. As a family owned business with a strong and shared ethos, we work closely together to invest in the values of the business, in being Islay-based, and in the local community.

Bruichladdich is a word that we know isn't necessarily the easiest to approach. It can be pronounced in its simplest form as 'brook-laddie'. Bruichladdich comes from the Scottish Gaelic 'Bruthach a' Chladaich' and the village in which the distillery is situated bears the same name.

The Bruichladdich name comes from the Scottish Gaelic 'Bruthach a' Chladaich', which means brae by the shore. Our distillery is situated right on the banks of Loch Indaal, in the village of Bruichladdich, so this speaks true to this day.

At Bruichladdich Distillery, we distil, mature and bottle three unique Islay single malt scotch whiskies: Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore.

Bruichladdich is our unpeated Islay single malt. From our signature Classic Laddie that embodies our floral and elegant house style to our Barley Exploration series and our mysterious, Bruichladdich Black Art.

Port Charlotte is our heavily peated spirit and is the epitome of an Islay single malt. From Port Charlotte 10 through Port Charlotte Islay Barley and cask releases, our Port Charlotte spirit is born of Islay, our community and everything that means.

Octomore is our super-heavily peated single malt and the perfect example of our commitment to pushing the boundaries of single malt whisky. The most heavily peated single malt whisky in the world, Octomore defines itself outside of everyday whisky conventions and is pushed to the limit every year by our Head Distiller, Adam Hannett.

In simple terms, every one of our Bruichladdich Islay single malts is unpeated, our Port Charlotte releases are heavily peated and Octomore is super-heavily peated and is the most heavily peated whisky in the world. However, as three spirits from a single distillery, they share a lot in common - including the fact that they are all conceived, distilled, matured and bottled on Islay.

Every one of our Bruichladdich releases is unpeated but each tells its own distinct story. Housed in our infamous aqua blue bottle, Classic Laddie is not a recipe set in stone, but a distilling philosophy. Whilst our Barley Exploration series (including Bruichladdich Islay Barley, Bere Barley and Organic Barley) each champion the provenance and complexity of our essential raw ingredient. Black Art is the antithesis to our commitment to transparency and draws on the talent and vision of our Head Distiller each year.

Each of our Port Charlotte releases are peated to a heavyweight 40PPM. Trickle distilled through our tall, narrow necked still, the resulting rich and aromatic spirit has all the power of peat (as you would expect from our heavily peated single malt) with the elegance and finesse for which our stills are famous. As a range, Port Charlotte explores the complexities of natural whisky, through barley provenance (like our Islay Barley releases), cask influence (including Port Charlotte SC:01, which finished maturing in Sauternes wine casks) and the passing of time, as in Port Charlotte 10.

Octomore has defied received whisky wisdom since we first launched it, our third Islay single malt, in 2008. Matured for five years, always super-heavily peated and bottled close to cask strength, its surprising elegance led us to define it as “The Impossible Equation”. As an annual release, each new Octomore series aims to explore the very limits of single malt whisky; exploring barley provenance, terroir, varying peat levels and cask management in the pursuit of flavor. Head Distiller, Adam Hannett gets to push this liquid to its very limits every year and as a result sets himself his own challenge to create the unthinkable and imagine what many might think as unachievable.

The bold and memorable aqua color of our Classic Laddie bottle is inspired by the vibrant color of the waters outside the distillery on a bright spring day.

Each batch of the Classic Laddie will, by nature, be unique and subtly different, and it is ultimately our Head Distiller who curates each assemblage of our finest spirits, to create the Bruichladdich house style. You can reveal you bottle's unique recipe here. Simply enter the five digit code found on the rear of the bottle, just below the back label.

You can find detailed information on each of our releases on the individual web page devoted to that product. This includes product specifications including barley provenance and maturation profile as well as tasting notes. We have taken the opportunity to update the design of our website and have archived some of our older website content, including product pages for our previous releases. If you have any questions specific to a product that isn't featured on our site, please don't hesitate to contact us and one of our team will be happy to assist.

The island of Islay is home to many world-famous Scotch whisky distilleries, many of whom produce a distinctly smoky spirit. While our Port Charlotte and Octomore single malts are heavily and super-heavily peated, all of our Bruichladdich releases are unpeated. We believe Islay is more than a flavor profile, and the community is at the heart of every decision we make. With an Islay-centric approach, all of our whiskies are exclusively distilled, maturated and bottled on the island.

In short, no. Under Scotch Whisky Association regulations, being called an Islay single malt does not demand being Islay grown, Islay malted, Islay matured or Islay bottled - or require the use of Islay water. However, at Bruichladdich Distillery we believe that to be called an Islay malt, the spirit needs to be born from our Island home and be woven into its being, from the barley we use (we currently use 52% Islay grown barley in our whiskies) to the location of our warehouses and the place where the final spirit it bottled. Each of our single malts is influenced by our very surroundings. Completely exposed to the full force of Atlantic storms the vapourised, salt-laden, sea-spray permeates the very fabric of the distillery.

At Bruichladdich Distillery, we have and always will reject the addition of caramel coloring or e150a. Used by many producers to standardise the appearance of their whisky, it also making it appear darker than it really is. All of our whiskies’ color comes from the cask.

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 flavor and viscosity for a maximum mouthfeel.

Yes you can. We are currently open seven days a week from 10.00am - 5.30pm, moving to Monday to Saturday 10.00am - 5.30pm from the end of October through to the end of March. There are different tour experiences on offer to suit different tastes and we are always ready to welcome you at the Laddie Shop, where you can buy releases from our four spirits (including The Botanist Gin) as well as accessories and merchandise.

You can book a tour here or if you would like to speak to someone, you can call our team at the distillery: Tel. +44 (0)1496 850 190. We currently offer a 1.5 hour Distillery Tour, a 1 hour Warehouse Experience as well as a Foraged Cocktail or Distilled experience for The Botanist.

Our Distillery Tour and The Botanist - Distilled experience can both accommodate all ages. However, the Warehouse Experience and Foraged Cocktail Experience are only available to book for over 18s.

Yes , you can book a tour for another person providing we have their correct name and contact details. Please make sure you have their permission before submitting their contact details to us. Alternatively, you can purchase a Gift Certificate for any of our tour offering, either for yourself or someone else, that can be used to book the relevant experience in the future.

If you are looking to arrange a VIP experience or media visit, please contact us and one of our team will be able to discuss your requirements.

We don't have a café or a restaurant on site but our team are always here to help point you in the direction of local amenities and offer recommendations. We are situated on the banks of Loch Indaal and at the beginning of the Loch Indaal way, connecting the village of Bruichladdich to Port Charlotte, with places to enjoy a picnic or refreshment with a view (subject to weather!).

We have a vast range of products on offer from whisky releases across all three of our Islay single malts, The Botanist Gin as well as merchandise, apparel, accessories and locally produced products from members of the Islay community. You will be able to find items that aren't available in our online shop or elsewhere - and if there is something specific you are looking for, or need any guidance on, our expert team are always ready and willing to help.

Sometimes, especially with our annual releases and specific vintages, our releases can sell out. Due to the nature of these releases, it is unlikely that further stock will be made available and so it will be listed as Out of Stock. If a release is going to come back into stock, we will feature it as Temporarily Out of Stock.

Not everything that is available to buy from our distillery shop on Islay is available online. However, please contact us if you cannot find what you are looking for and we will do what we can to help.

We regularly share news from our distillery and updates including new and exclusive bottlings in our email newsletter. You can sign up to our newsletter here.

Distillery Exclusives are only available to purchase directly from the distillery, online or in person from our distillery shop on Islay. They include previous Project releases, The Ternary Project and The Biodynamic Project.

In line with our sustainability values and our commitment to reduce unnecessary packaging and waste, we no longer offer a tin with our Bruichladdich or Port Charlotte bottles. Removing the secondary packaging means less steel will be used in the production of outer tins, and while tin plate is among the most widely recycled materials, the decision to remove it completely will eliminate energy and emissions used in production and transportation. For certain releases in the near future, you will be able to opt to order from us with a tin but we are removing outer packaging across our core single malt brands globally, starting with our heavily peated Port Charlotte.

Building on our ‘One Tin Lighter’ initiative which has already seen us save almost 5,000 tins through our online and distillery shop, we are removing outer packaging across our core single malt brands globally, starting with our heavily peated Port Charlotte. Part of our long-term vision to be more sustainable across all processes, we join a small group of forward-thinking single malt whisky producers on this sustainable endeavour, in a move we hope others will follow.

Fèis Ìle is the Islay festival of music and whisky, taking place every year at the end of May into early June. It is a celebration of whisky, of Islay, and brings together people from all around the world. The date and details of Bruichladdich Distillery's festival day will be revealed nearer the time.

Fèis Ìle 2026 is at the end of May 2026. We will be revealing the date and details of Bruichladdich's festival day nearer to the time. To be amongst the first to know, please sign up to our newsletter and we will stay in touch with news, updates and other Bruichladdich information.

For questions regarding your order please visit https://faq.flaviar.com/en/.

For all other queries, please email contactus@bruichladdich.com and one of our Bruichladdich Distillery team will come back to you as soon as possible. We aim to reply to your queries within 4 working days.

If you are looking to visit us at the distillery on Islay, you can book a tour here or call the distillery direct on (+44) 01496 850190.

Our distillery opening hours are 09:45 - 17:30, seven days a week from March until the end of October and 10:00 – 17:00 Tuesday – Sunday from November to end February.