Bunnahabhain

Established in 1881 on the northern shores of Islay at the mouth of the Margadale stream, fed by the spring they source their water from, Bunnahabhain (Bu-nah-hav-en) was originally only accessible by boat until a single-track road was installed in the 1960s. The 1960s also heralded another change for the distillery, with a shift away from the peat and smokiness that is traditionally associated with Islay whiskies.

Dedicated to the utmost quality, each step of the process is overseen by generational craftsmen, from mashing and fermentation to distillation and maturation. Made with locally sourced barley and pure Islay water, Bunnahabhain’s single malts’ signature style is that they are unpeated, instead highlighting sweet, fruity notes and a subtle maritime influence.

Their large copper pot stills (two 35,000L wash stills and two 15,500L spirit stills) are the tallest on the island and are used with low fill levels to produce a lighter and more delicate spirit. The oily spirit is non-chill filtered and marries excellently with the ex-sherry casks predominantly used for maturation and are kept natural colour to truly represent the casks.