Situated at the end of a rural single track road on the shores of the Sound of Islay, Bunnahabhain is known for its spectacular surroundings and rare unpeated Islay Single Malt Whisky.

Despite the distillery build starting in 1879, the Bunnahabhain distillery was officially established in 1881. This famous Islay distillery was founded by William Robertson and the Greenless Brothers.

By 1930, a global downturn occurred and small, remote producers including Bunnahabhain decided to close their doors as production was no longer economically viable. However only 7 years later production became viable again with a new access road being built, meaning they weren’t dependent on the sea for trade. Adding two stills to the operation in 1963 allowed Bunnahabhain to increase production and increase export of this special Islay dram.

Sea trade was the main source of spices and ingredients for the distillery in the early years, but as the best route was now by road, the last boat docked in 1993 & no further supplies were made by water. That said, the historic peir is still in place and offers great views back to the distillery standing on the hillside above.

In 2006 Burn Stewart Distilleries bought Bunnahabhain.

The distillation is carried out on a very lightly peated malted barley, which is then aged in barrels for 12 years. As a result, Bunnahabhain stands out among Islay Malts as one that is more subtle and has an oiliness and scent of sea air that distinguishes it from the almost universal peatiness of the island’s other whiskies.

Despite the distillery’s recent release of smoky drams, it is its distinctively oily and almost entirely unpeated whiskies that have won it worldwide recognition.