Category: Islay
Distiller: Burn Stewart
Owner: Burn Stewart
Status: Operational 
| The inspiration for building a distillery on the sound of Islay came from W.A.Robertson (of Robertson & Baxter, blenders in Glasgow) and his partner J.C.R. Marshall. In 1878 they approached the Greenless brothers of Campbeltown for technical advice and purchased a site at the mouth of the river Margadale: "Bunnahabhain" (pronounced "Boonahaven") means "mouth of the river". Building commenced in 1881. Their company, the Islay Distillery Co., amalgamated with Glenrothes-Glenlivet Distillery in 1888 to become The Highland Distilleries Company.
The attraction of the site was the abundant supply of fresh, peaty water that tumbled down a burn from Loch Staoinsha, combined with ready access to the Sound of Islay for shipment. Bunnahabhain is the lightest of the Islay malts, and the distillery ensures this by using uneated malt, by drawing spring water from underground (before it has run through peat), and by taking a very narrow cut from the second distillation. Maturation is done on site.
Extract form Charles Maclean`s SCOTCH WHISKY a Mitchell Beazley Pocket Guide |
