Bunnahabhain 11yo

The Bunnahabhain Distillery was established in 1881 with full production commencing in 1883 and is long credentialed with maritime exploits. The name itself means ‘Mouth of the River’ and as it’s name suggests, the distillery sits on the mouth of the Margdale Spring. In it’s infancy, the distillery relied heavily on the small merchant fleet – it’s wares transported by boat to the mainland and beyond. The ingredients brought in by boat. In 1960 a HUGE development – a road – was constructed which made the use of the small-boat merchant fleet obsolescent.

In an industry rife with tales of bootlegging, illicit stills and general shenanigans, Bunnahabhain is notable for the complete and utter lack of such tales in it’s history. The distillery itself a product of pure calculated corporate expansion – costed out, planned and built [by the Islay Whisky Company] to capitalise on the 19th Century ‘Whisky Boom’ that was in full swing at the time. Even the town of Bunnahabhain – complete with school – was created by the distillery to house it’s workers.

The distillery itself is, perhaps, one of the most instantly recognisable distilleries in the world. It’s iconic North-East facing, branded wall lying right on the beach is the subject of countless Instagram and Facebook posts. Interestingly, even though all records of the distilleries creation are housed in trust in the University of Glasgow’s archives – no record of the architect who designed it exits.

At the time of it’s construction, it was a state of the art facility. Steam powered grain lifts and other machines made it the most automated distillery of its day. The stills and washbacks at Bunnahabhain remain among the largest in Britain.

Bunnahabhain is used in both the Cutty Sark and Famous Grouse blended whiskies.