Bowmore is a classic and iconic distillery — known for their highly collectible and valuable whiskies, it garners praise from whisky enthusiasts around the world. From being used as an air base in WWII to being the first distillery that Queen Elizabeth II ever visited, Bowmore’s rich history has shaped the distillery into what it is today.

Establishment

The first recorded mention of Bowmore dates back to 1779, but it is estimated that distillation at Bowmore began almost ten years earlier. Regardless, it is the oldest of nine working distilleries on Islay, Scotland. As for the distillery’s name, some historians believe that it originated from a small black reef near Lochindaal, where Bowmore Distillery is located, while others believe it comes from the Norse words “bogha mor”, meaning sunken rock. The rocks and strata of Islay that surround the distillery not only inspired Bowmore’s name but also continue to be the inspiration behind many of their whisky collections and bottlings.  

Bowmore has had several owners in its history — the Simpson family, the Mutter brothers, John Sherriff, Joseph Holmes, Stanley P Morrison — and is now owned by Beam Suntory, which acquired Morrison Bowmore Distillers in 2014.

Process

As the oldest Islay distillery, Bowmore prides itself in both its use of traditional methods to honour the original techniques of whisky production as well as the fact that all its whiskies are hand-crafted, ensuring that each bottle is of the highest quality.

The production of a whisky starts at their own malt barn, where all the barley Bowmore uses is malted and the process of germination begins. After around a week, the malting process is completed, and the barley is taken to the kiln and the mill to be turned into grist. The subtle smoky flavour that Bowmore is known for is created here as peat is added to the furnaces. The grist is then taken to the Mash House, where hot water is added to make it a sugary liquid known as wort. The wort is fermented in the Tun Room, then distilled twice in the Stillhouse. The final step is maturation, where the whisky ages in used casks from around the world.

All Bowmore whiskies are aged for a minimum of nine years, often in ex-American Oak Bourbon barrels and ex-Spanish Sherry casks, each imparting its own unique flavours onto the whisky. Some whiskies are even aged in multiple casks, or are created by combining whiskies from various casks, to create a distinctive combination of flavours. The Bowmore 29-Year-Old from the Timeless Series, for example, is a combination of whiskies aged in sherry seasoned European oak casks and ex- bourbon American oak barrels. Each cask absorbs the Islay sea air, allowing the whisky inside to absorb the different characteristics of the cask, the distillery, and Islay itself.

The Bowmore 29-Year-Old (Timeless Series), which has an intricate flavour profile stemming from a combination of two whiskies aged in different casks. Photograph from Bowmore.

Over the span of almost two and a half centuries, Bowmore has created a brand that is not only easily recognisable, but highly respected by many whisky collectors and investors alike. Their distillers’ attention to detail during the production process leads to the creation of high-quality whiskies with complex flavour profiles, including the classic Bowmore smokiness. Whether you are a whisky lover looking for a great bottle to enjoy or an investor searching for a good investment, Bowmore has a whisky for you.

Explore our range of Bowmore, including the Bowmore 29-Year-Old Timeless Series, on WhiskyGenius.com now and find the perfect bottle or cask for you. 

Please enjoy whisky responsibly.

Banner photograph from Bowmore.