Whisky Online Blog

Bowmore Distillery

Location: Islay
Founded: 1779
Current capacity: 2 million litres
Stills: 4. 2 wash and 2 spirit.
Water Source: Laggan River
Washbacks: wood
Peating levels: Varied through the years but currently around 35ppm

Bowmore is undoubtedly one of the most famous, collectable, drinkable and fascinating distilleries operating in the world today. It is exactly the sort of distillery that delights collectors and drinkers alike because its whisky has been bottled both officially and independently for several decades now and it has gone through several distinct eras of production during this time. As an Islay whisky it obviously betrays its location quite distinctly, but as we will see, its differences can be vast. There have been several historical examples of Bowmore from the 19th and early 20th century appear at auction over the years but as with all these old bottlings we should always be cautious of their authenticity. Bottlings of Bowmore generally start in the fifties and sixties and range right though to the present day, it is one of a handful of distilleries from which it is possible to find literally hundreds of different expressions.

1950s-1972: The great years. Peat, oiliness, complexity, dryness and (famously) immense tropical fruit character.
For Bowmore fans this is THE era. Production at Bowmore during these years was characterized by old school methods such as coal fired stills (until conversion in 1964 to steam) use of worm condensers, fermentations that would often last in excess of a week, use of old refill casks and stunning quality sherry casks. The malting of the barley was also all carried out by hand at the distillery burning local peat by hand. This helped to create a stunningly beautiful house style that was intensely laden with tropical fruit. It is this character in particular that sets these old Bowmores apart from almost all other whiskies, there are no other distillates that display fruit character in quite the same way. The oily, phenolic peat was also crucial as it provided body to the whisky and helped balance the intensity of the fruit. Examples of Bowmore bottled during these years are available if you have the pocket for them and they are often particularly beautiful. Leaving aside bottle maturation they often display less intense fruit than the aged bottlings and more minerally, coastal dryness. There are many aged bottlings available from the sixties and and some from the fifties, both official and independent and they are more often than not stunning (although as with all distilleries there are some notable bad exceptions). Famous examples are the official ‘Black Bowmores’ and ‘Bicentenary’ bottlings from the 1964 vintage. Also the 1955 40yo and many other 68s and 64s can be utterly stunning. There are also very famous Italian bottlings done in the 80s from 1965 and other years, and famously the Samaroli ‘Bouquet’ series. If you enjoy intensely fruity expressive whisky then this era at Bowmore will knock you out.

1973-1976: A gentle change. Still very fruity but less oily with a softening of the peat character.
During these years the whisky produced at Bowmore was still of a high standard but was characterized by a noticeable ‘taming’ of its previous qualities. As with all distilleries modernization played a part but, crucially at Bowmore, it was the dramatic increase in production levels that would contribute to what some might argue was a compromise between quality and quantity. Curiously there are remarkably fewer bottlings from this era than any other for some reason, although this may change as older stock is depleted and stock from these years ages further.

1977-1991: FWP (French Whore’s Perfume). Complete change, lavender, violets, less peat, more medicine, perfumed and fragrant.
These years represent a complete change at Bowmore and the subsequent product is one of the best examples of love it or loathe it whisky. During the late seventies as modernization took hold there were shorter more intense fermentations, coupled with new, quicker distillation regimes that brought a new lightness to the Bowmore style. There were also new ‘energy saving’ condensers installed on the stills which had a tendency to scald the spirit vapors by being too hot. Many people loathe this style of Bowmore, it is often characterized by intensely floral, lavender and perfume notes with the peat often taking a background role. There are exceptions to this but they are not the norm, you really need to enjoy this particular style of whisky to enjoy Bowmore from these years. There are many examples from this time available and more bottlings will continue to arise from these years for quite some time so age may tame these flavours but so far it hasn’t yet.

1992-present: Rebirth. Dryer, very coastal, much heavier peat, aromatic, some fruit and very fresh.
During the early nineties they experimented with peating levels and also ways of burning peat in the kilns at the distillery, they continue to produce up to 40% of their own malt. This led to an increase in peating levels and to a process of crumbling the peat bricks before burning them, this greatly enhances the phenol levels released during drying. These changes have seemingly eradicated many of the qualities that defined 80s style Bowmore. The spirit is subsequently much heavier and back to a very traditional Islay style. It is also very aromatic and coastal with a real Atlantic freshness about it. Examples from refill wood display a minerality driven dryness that is very in keeping with a much older style of Bowmore. There are many bottlings of younger Bowmore from this era available today at excellent prices and they are almost always excellent quality too, the whisky is very consistent. Hopefully this quality will be maintained for the foreseeable future.

Lagavulin Distillery

Founded 1816

Water: soft from Solum Lochs

Stills: 4. 2 wash & 2 spirit

Capacity: 2.2 million litres

Washbacks: Wood.

Peating levels: 40-45ppm

Lagavulin is undoubtedly one of the greatest spirits produced in the world today. There are not nearly as many bottlings of it available as its neighbours Ardbeg and Laphroaig but the bottlings that do exist are among the most consistent bottlings in the world. Lagavulin has a very distinctive dry, peaty, oily, seaweed house style that has won it legions of fans the world over.  It is also one of the few distilleries that has consistently produced amazing whisky for the length of its ‘tasteable’ production history.  In recent years the number of independent bottlings has increased, as production capacity was increased to meet demand and the wealth of interest in this distillery has been fully realised.

1940s-1974: Historical Lagavulin. Earthy, dry peat, silky fruit, immense depth and potency of flavour.

Like all distilleries during this era Lagavulin was producing an old school style whisky. Production levels were not high meaning that most parts of the production process were done at a slower rate, crucially this included fermentation and distillation. Lagavulin during these decades was also still malting its own barley using locally cut peat. Historical bottlings of Lagavulin from these years are among some of the rarest and most expensive official single malts available anywhere. The ones you are most likely to encounter are the white label official 12yo bottlings from the late sixties through to the early eighties. These are almost all utterly stunning, if there is a bad one I have never tried it or met anyone who has tried it. They contain whisky distilled at Lagavulin during the fifties, sixties and early seventies depending on the rotation.  They are characterised by intense, dry, oily peat, beautifully rich seashore characteristics and very full fruit elements as well. Some batches contain more sherry than others, these tend to be fruitier and richer while the straight bourbon ones tend to be very salty, clean, minerally and coastal. During the years 1962-1969 the stills from Malt Mill distillery (see footnote) were used at Lagavulin so any 12yo bottlings from 1975-early eighties are likely to contain a high proportion of whisky distilled in the Malt Mill stills. It is also worth saying that Lagavulin converted its stills to internal steam heating in 1969. There are historical examples of Lagavulin stretching right back to the early 1900s, however I have never tried them and I would be suspicious of any such ancient bottle from a legendary distillery.

1974-1988: Transition and disruption. Modern Lagavulin style is integrated. Less lush fruit character, more seaweed, dry, oily peat and bracing maritime character.

After 1974 Lagavulin took all its malt from the recently constructed Port Ellen maltings. However Lagavulin’s production process remained otherwise largely unaffected, spirit from these years is often excellent, it retains its dry rich peatiness but with perhaps less intense fruit character and a magnification of its coastal elements.  Whisky from these years can be found in the official green bottle 12yo that was available during the eighties until the launch of the classic malts in 1988.  This whisky is also to be found in the early bottlings of the 16yo and throughout the 1990s. The first distiller’s edition launched in 1999 was an absolutely beautiful 20yo distilled in 1979, it remains one of the finest ‘finished’ whiskies I have ever tried. During the 1980s however, Lagavulin was operating much of the time for only two days a week. It was not foreseen how popular Lagavulin would become in the following decade and this subsequently created very difficult stock problems from the late 90s onwards.

1988-present day: Consolidation of the classic house style; earthy peat, seaweed, a little fruit, drying and medicinal.

During the 90s Lagavulin became more and more popular as people discovered the stunning quality of the 16yo. Early bottlings of the 16yo are among the most popular with enthusiasts as they contain spirit distilled in the early seventies and are marked by an intense fruitiness on top of the classic dry peat and coastal character. However the consistency has remained otherwise pretty high. Even today the 16yo remains one of the finest standard bottlings in any distillery’s range. Likewise the ‘distiller’s edition’ vintage expressions remain fantastic examples of a finishing that actually works beautifully, they are a little sweeter, oilier and have a sumptuous sherry quality that is different from the 16yo, they are well worth trying.  In 1991 production capacity was increased to meet anticipated demand and this has started to pay off in recent years in terms of quantity.  In 2002 the first of what would become a regular annual release of Lagavulin cask strength 12yo was launched. These releases have been very consistent and offer a different, more ballsy perspective on the Lagavulin house style. They are intensely heavy with oily peat, salt and vinegar characters and often some underlying fruit. One of the critical reasons for the retention of this style of whisky at Lagavulin has been Diageo’s commendably excellent wood policy. Whereas other companies, notably the various owners of Laphroaig, have insisted on first fill bourbon casks in recent years, Lagavulin, like many of Diageo’s malts, is matured in refill bourbon wood, often up to 6^th fill. This has helped the spirit retain its dry, coastal, mineral edge and created a much richer peat and medicine profile. It has preserved the distillery’s character beautifully and not masked it with the sweetness of newer wood. The 12yo is probably the finest example of the success of this policy. There are currently an increasing number of independent bottlings of Lagavulin, although they rarely state the distillery’s name. This is probably due to the increased production of the early nineties and subsequent ease of supply. Bottlings tend to be almost all refill hogsheads and represent unusual variations of the official 12yo style. They are often excellent and worth seeking out. The distillery has also taken to releasing more expressions in recent years with festival bottlings from single casks, 21,25 and 30yo expressions and a special distillery only bottling. They are all excellent and worth seeking out although, as with all Lagavulins, their prices go up very quickly once released. Today Lagavulin is one of the few distilleries that runs at full prodction capacity and puts almost all its production towards single malt. It is an interesting distillery to visit, to see the beautiful traditional wooden washbacks and the unusual onion shaped stills. However you will also see it is a highly modern plant that is run largely by two men and lots of computers controlling everything on a finely tuned consistent scale. Almost all spirit is tankered off the island to be filled and matured on the mainland with very litte remaining in Lagavulin’s small warehouses. It is not the romantic image conjured up by the beautiful whisky inside the bottle, sadly this is often the case with the modern whisky industry. However, if Lagavulin can continue to produce this level of quality and meet demands without damaging its consistency then it will continue to be renowned as one of the finest malts in the world.

Malt Mill. A Footnote.

During the late 19^th century Lagavulin was owned by an intelligent and characteristic individual named Peter Mackie, he remains one of the most famous/infamous names in whisky today. Lagavulin and Laphroaig had always enjoyed a closely intertwined personal history and this was reflected by the fact that Mackie, during these years, was the distributor for Laphroaig, He did not take well to the news that this lucrative contract was not going to be renewed and out of the following legal skirmish (which involved an interesting incident of Mackie building a dam to stop his neighbour’s water supply) Malt Mill distillery was born. Mackie figured that, since he knew Laphroaig’s process and equipment inside out, he could simply make his own Laphroaig at Lagavulin and force his new competitor out of the market. Malt Mill was constructed in 1908 as an exact replica of Laphroaig. Mackie commissioned two identical stills to be made and took water and peat from the same sources. The fact that he failed to recreate Laphroaig’s style is perhaps testament to the magical and even, some would say, ‘terroir’ qualities of whisky production.

Nevertheless Malt Mill was produced on site at Lagavulin until 1960 whereupon it ceased production. It was dismantled in 1962 and incorporated into the reconstructed Lagavulin site, today the visitor centre at Lagavulin is part of the old Malt Mill complex. The stills were converted to use mechanical stokers and used at Lagavulin for the remainder of the 1960’s, thus making any spirit distilled during these years of great interest to collectors and drinkers alike.

I, along with the majority of the human race, have never tried Malt Mill. There are some of the old distillery workers on Islay who remember trying it and it was reportedly the most intensely peated spirit ever produced, it has often been described as being far too heavy. Needless to say such reports only serve to heighten our desperation to taste it. There is only one bottle of 100% genuine Malt Mill spirit known to exist, it is a small sample owned by Diageo and occasionally displayed at the distillery. There are pictures of various bottles and historical examples of labels that were certainly used but they are incredibly dubious. I have also seen first hand two examples of dumpy square bottles, circa 1950s/early 1960s, with labels that state Malt Mill on the front but no one is quite sure whether these are 100% Malt Mill. It is entirely possible that they are Malt Mill mixed with an indeterminate amount of Lagavulin., indeed I know that Diageo themselves stated that they could not be sure these bottles contained 100% Malt Mill. In the end it is doubtful that a genuine bottle will ever surface but we can always hope. What is certain is that Malt Mill remains the ultimate goal and dream of almost every whisky enthusiast in the world. If you ever find a bottle, please share…

Ledaig Whisky (pronounced Led-Chig)

Peated whisky distilled at Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull.

Founded: 1798 but with very sporadic production history.

Peating: Very variable but from 1972 about 40ppm, lower throughout eighties and early nineties. Returned to approximately 35-40ppm in the mid nineties.

Capacity: 1 million litres

Stills: 4. 2 wash and 2 spirit. Ledaig is produced through one pair and Tobermory through another.

Ledaig is one of the most inconsistent and frustrating spirits for whisky lovers. It was first produced in 1972 when the Tobermory distillery was reopened after more than four decades of silence. Although for a while all spirit produced was peated and called Ledaig, this changed soon enough and it became the name given to all peated malt produced at this distillery. It is only now becoming widely available as a single malt due to renewed investment and promotion by its owners Burn Stewart.

1972-1975: Intense, oily, visceral peat. Dry, minerals, vibrant fruit and coastality.

When the distillery was re-opened after many years in 1972 it was actually named Ledaig however many casks were labelled as Tobermory also and almost all production in these years was peated. To this day whiskies from these years are still being bottled and they often betray the rich peat character of the distillate. Younger expressions bottled in the eighties are considered the greatest examples of Ledaig. Produced in an old style way, with slower fermentation and distillation methods, these bottlings are classics. Every bit as potent as many Islay whiskies from the same time, they balance intense peat flavours with beautiful coastal and fruit laden undercurrents. They are expensive but well worth seeking out. Sadly the distillery was closed again in 1975.

1979-1993. Diminishing peat, salty, often quite fruity but sometimes excessively honeyed and cardboardy.

The distillery was re-opened in 1979 and distilled two separate spirits, peated Ledaig and un-peated Tobermory. These years, as for all distilleries, were years of change. Production methods were rapidly modernising, paving the way for the mass production of malt whisky.  The character of Ledaig from the late seventies and early eighties can often contain some very attractive tropical and green fruit character laced with some peat oils and delicate smokiness. The best examples of this are in the old red label 20yo and blue label 15yo official bottlings. However the peat is very variable. By the end of the eighties the peat levels were incredibly inconsistent and it is from these years that the most frustrating Ledaigs can come. Many bottlings can seem almost unpeated, showing more in the way of spiciness, coastal characters and honey. They can be very flavoursome whiskies but they often lack something.

Mid 1990s –present day: Re-instigation of higher peat levels, dryer, smoky, grassy and salty.

The modern era of production at Tobermory has seen an intensification of the peat levels in Ledaig, this is most apparent in the current 10yo bottling. However the whisky is markedly thinner in texture and mouthfeel, it does not have the oiliness that it once possessed. However this is common with many modern whiskies. As these casks age we will see how the spirit develops but it is certainly more consistent than it has been for a long time and the rewarding peaty, island character intensity is back. Some recent young bottlings have in fact been immensely powerful and of fantastic quality. Whatever happens Ledaig remains one of the most frustrating, yet oddly endearing characters in the whisky world.