Bowmore Distillery
Bowmore,
Islay - Argyll
PA43 7JS
+44 1496 810 441
Owner: Morrisson Bowmore Distillers Ltd
Creation year: 1779
Bowmore is one of the biggest and oldest distilleries from Islay.
It was founded in 1779 by David Simpson in the capital of the island, Bowmore. The distillery stayed in the Simpson family until 1837 when it was sold to William and James Mutter. James Mutter was also consul of the Ottoman Empire, Brazil and Portugal in Glasgow.
Joseph Robert Holmes took the distillery over in 1892, and gave it the name of "Bowmore Distillery Co". In 1925, the distillery become propriety of Sheriffs' Bowmore Distillery Ltd.
In 1950, William Grigor & Sons layed his hand on the distillery who was bankrupt in 1963, before being bought by Stanley P. Morrison. The name was changed in Morrison Bowmore in 1987.
Since 1994, the Morrison Bowmore group belongs to the japanese Suntory group.
The village of Bowmore is situated in a creek called Loch Indaal.
The distillery is situated between the North and the South of the Island, and the whisky can be considered as being just between the Northern style and the Southern one. The taste of Bowmore is something between the intense southern malts (Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroaig and Port Ellen) and the smoother ones from the North (Caol Ila, Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain).
Bowmore whiskies are characterized by a great complexity.
The river Laggan carries peaty waters. However, the peat from the region of Bowmore is quite more sandy as peat from other regions..
A great deal of the Bowmore whisky is marketed as single malt, but it is also part of a variety of blends like King Pride, Clan Roy, Black Bottle and Islay Legend.
