Bowmore Distillery

Bowmore Distillery is a distillery that produces Scotch whisky on the isle of Islay, an island of the Inner Hebrides. The distillery, which lies on the South Eastern shore of Loch Indaal, is one of the oldest in Scotland and is said to have been established in 1779. The distillery is owned by Morrison Bowmore Distillers Ltd, a holding company owned by Japanese drinks company Suntory. Morrison Bowmore also own the Auchentoshan and Glen Garioch distilleries and produce the McClelland's Single Malt range of bottlings.

History[edit | edit source]

The Bowmore Distillery was established in 1779 by a local merchant, John P. Simpson, before passing into the ownership of the Mutter family, a family of German descent. James Mutter, head of the family, also owned a small fleet of trading ships, which were used to export the whisky to countries including Italy, Australia and India. The distillery remained in the ownership of the Mutter family until 1887, when it was purchased by William Grigor & Son, a firm of blenders from Inverness.

Production[edit | edit source]

The distillery sources its water from the River Laggan. It is one of the few distilleries in Scotland to still have its own floor maltings. The malt is peat smoked for less time than is traditional on Islay, which gives the whisky a more gentle flavour. Bowmore produces a range of whiskies, from a 12 year old to a 25 year old, as well as some special editions.