History

Bruichladdich Distillery describes itself as progressive Hebridean distilleries since 1881, and has a culture that expresses a constant, curious drive and a belief in further developing whisky as an expression of place and people. Bruichladdich's range is distinguished by being peat-free in the Bruichladdich range, and instead focuses on the quality of the barley and terroir. The distillery's approach includes craft and tradition, but not bound by them, and they emphasize that ingredients and processes must be clearly connected to place. Bruichladdich highlights a close connection between land, farming and whisky, and works on a range of projects and initiatives that connect farming, biodiversity and production.

Production / Manufacturing

Bruichladdich produces 100% of its barley in Scotland and the distillery uses a long fermentation in wooden washbacks and a trickle-distillation through tall, slender stills. The resulting spirit is un-chill-filtered and without colorings, and the distillation uses Islay water. Bruichladdich emphasizes that their approach allows expression of terroir and the farm variations, which is clearly evident in their different series – Bruichladdich (unpeated), Port Charlotte (highly peated) and Octomore (super-peaty).

Products / Whisky Series

• Bruichladdich (Unpeated Islay single malt)
• Port Charlotte (Heavily peated Islay single malt)
• Octomore (Super-heavily peated Islay single malt) The Octomore series is described as The Impossible Equation and explores terroir, cask management and peat levels with each release having unique character. Examples include:
• Octomore 16.1 (The Reference) – matured in first-fill bourbon cask; 59.3% ABV; described as a balance between strong smoke and refined sweetness.
• Octomore 16.2 – matured in a blend of Oloroso, Bordeaux, Madeira and Moscatel for a rich, sweet and smoky profile.
• Octomore 16.3 – Ultra-high provenance, built on a single farm (Octomore Farm) on Islay.
• Octomore 16.4 – Virgin oak, combination of bourbon and French virgin oak for maximum intensity and balance.
• X4+18 Edition 01 – first release in a series of four; distilled four times and aged 18 years on Islay at 63.5% ABV. Additionally the pages show projects such as The Biodynamic Project, The Regeneration Project and The Ternary Project, which explore sustainability, biodynamic farming and combinations of Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore spirits. Bruichladdich's Islay Barley, Organic Barley and Bere Barley 2013 series show focus on origin and variation in barley, while Port Charlotte series includes barrel finishes – often with external cask influence such as Syrah- or Pomerol-casks in some releases.

Visits / Experiences

Bruichladdich offers various distillery tours and experience events: Guided Distillery Tour (90 minutes, around £25), Warehouse Tasting (90 minutes, around £50) and Bruichladdich Experience (150 minutes, around £75). In addition, The Botanist Gin Experience (90 minutes, around £35) and The Botanist Cocktail Class are offered. All experiences often require advance booking, and there are details on opening hours, the location on Islay and the possibility to bring dogs to the visitor centre.

Philosophy

Bruichladdich marks a belief that whisky is more than a region, and that land and agriculture are deeply connected with the product. They describe 100% Scottish barley, un-chill-filtered and uncoloured whisky, bottled at the distillery door and with Islay spring water. Initiatives such as The Regeneration Project, The Biodynamic Project and The Ternary Project demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, biodiversity and collaboration with local farmers and the Islay community. Bruichladdich also emphasizes that they do not bind themselves to traditions without exploring new paths for flavor and terroir, and that their production closely links land, people and dram.