Islay Distilleries

Bruichladdich Distillery

Think of Islay and you'll probably think of malt whisky. The island's eight operating distilleries are home to some of the best and certainly to some of the most distinctive malts in Scotland. Seven of these are discussed in more detail below. You can find out more about Making Malt Whisky from our series of feature pages showing the stages in the process.

Laphroaig Distillery Ardbeg Distillery ....From the Sea Jura from Bunnahabhain Distillery Bowmore Distillery Port Ellen Maltings

The South Coast Distilleries: The road from Port Ellen signposted to Ardbeg is your key to three of the islands distilleries:

Laphroaig: Usually available as a 10-year-old, Laphroaig is an extremely distinctive, almost medicinal, seaweed flavoured malt. Look out for the minor road to the right a mile or so out of Port Ellen leading to the small visitors' car park. The distillery is open all year, but by appointment only. The free tours take place at 10.15am and 2.15pm. Phone 01496 302418.

Lagavulin Distillery

Port Ellen Distillery

Lochindaal, Port Charlotte

Bunnahabhain Distillery

Caol Ila Distillery

Lagavulin: Most commonly found as a 12 or 16-year-old, Lagavulin is a truly superb malt that sums up all that is best in the heavily sea-influenced whiskies of the south coast. You cannot miss the distillery, having to drive right past it on the road from Port Ellen to Ardbeg. The distillery is open all year, Monday to Friday, by appointment only. The tours cost £3.00, redeemable in the distillery shop, and take place at 10.00am, 11.30am and 2.30pm. Phone 01496 302400.

Ardbeg: This distillery dates back to 1794, but only reopened a couple of years ago after 20 years of closure. The product is one of the most strikingly smoky and briny of the Islay malts: an acquired taste worth acquiring. It is found about four miles out of Port Ellen, a little beyond Lagavulin - you simply turn left past the farm when you see the road leading to the obvious distillery buildings. Ardbeg is open all year Monday to Friday 10.00am to 4.00pm: and from July to September from 10.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Sunday. Tours take place at 10.30am, 11.30am and 2.30pm and cost £2.00, redeemable in the shop. Phone 01496 302244.

Port Ellen: This is the most visible of the south coast distilleries, especially with its new coat of white paint and large black lettering, and overlooking the ferry terminal. Sadly, however, appearances are deceptive: Port Ellen closed as a distillery, probably for good, in 1983. The bonded warehouses are still in use, as are the nearby industrial maltings that serve other distilleries on the island.

The Loch Indaal Distilleries: The two malts produced on the shores of the loch that bites deeply into the west side of Islay tend to be less strongly flavoured than their southern cousins, but are still extremely impressive:

Bowmore: The distillery is located in and dominates the seaward end of the village of Bowmore in the same way the village's round church dominates the landward end. You can find out more from our Feature Page for the Bowmore Distillery. The product is one of the best balanced of the Islay distilleries, guaranteed to appeal to a wide variety of tastes. The distillery is open all year, Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm, and Summer Saturdays from 10.00am to 12.30pm. Tours are at 10.30am and 2pm all year, plus 11.30 and 3.00pm in Summer and 10.30am on Summer Saturdays. The cost is £2.00, redeemable in the shop. Phone 01496 810671.

Bruichladdich: Recently reopened after a long period of closure, Bruichladdich looks across Loch Indaal at Bowmore and is home to a wonderfully light coloured and flavoured malt that is about as far from being a typical Islay whisky as you can get. The usual product is a lovely 10-year-old, but its 17 and 21-year-old offerings are rated as some of the best scotch that money can buy. Bruichladdich is open to visitors all year, Monday to Friday, with tours at 10.30am 11.30am and 2.30am: and at 10.30am on Summer Saturdays. Tours cost £3.00, redeemable in the shop. Phone 01469 850221.

Lochindaal Distillery, Port Charlotte: Lochindaal is the most clearly defunct of Islay's distilleries, having closed in 1929. Parts of it can still be seen on the east side of the lovely village of Port Charlotte,but for the most part it has been demolished or found alternative uses.

The Sound of Islay Distilleries: Islay's last two distilleries lie close to Port Askaig, overlooking the Sound of Islay with Jura and its Paps beyond.

Caol Ila: The name is Gaelic for "Sound of Islay" and the distillery is found a short distance along a minor road and just north of Port Askaig. The distillery is open all year by appointment, from Monday to Friday. Tours cost £2.00, redeemable in the shop: and take place at 10.30am and 2.00pm all year, additionally 11.30am and 3.00pm in Summer and 10.30am on Summer Saturdays. Phone 01496 302760.

Bunnahabhain: The distillery producing this light and sea-influenced malt lies some three miles north of Port Askaig, via a minor road that meets the A846 in Keills. It is open from Monday to Friday, April to October, 10.00am to 4.00pm by appointment only. Tours take place at 10.30am, 1.00pm and 3.00pm and are free. Phone 01496 840646.

And, finally.... Not on Islay, but on Jura, it would be a shame to omit the Isle of Jura Distillery from this page. This is found in Craighouse, Jura's main settlement. It is open all year, by appointment only, Monday to Thursday 9.00am to 4.00pm and Friday 9.00am to 1.00pm. Tours times are flexible by appointment and free. Phone 01496 820240.