Article: Islay Distilleries

Map of distilleries, operating, and lost in time

Green = In production
Red = Lost distillery
Yellow = Future Distillery

1) Kilchoman map
Should be producing about now. Build in the farm houses of Rockside Farm.

2) Lochindaal (1829-1929) map
In the northern part of Port Charlotte. Water source: Octomore Loch & Garroch Loch. Distillery was also known as Port Charlotte and Rhinns. Some of the warehouses are now the youth hostel (camping sign on the map). Close by operational Bruichladdich uses some warehouses to mature their Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Malt.

3) Octomore (1816-1852) map
Distillery at a farm. The ruins are still visible at Octomore farm. Some buildings have been converted to vacation cottages.

4) Bruichladdich (1881-) map
Been mothballed from 1929-1937 and 1995-2001.

5) Bowmore (1779-) map
Oldest distillery on Islay.

6) Tallant (1821-1852) map
A distillery housed in a farm. The family who ran it (Johnston) also started Laphroaig. One former name of this distillery have been Bowmore. Buildings survive today, but are in a poor state. Site is still in use as a farm.

7) Mulendry (1822-?) map
Date of closure is unknown. Other dates that are going around are 1826-1831. Site might be near river Laggan. Map shows a farm with similar name, along the river Laggan..

8) Killarow (1818-1822) map
Leftover buildings from this distillery are still visible close to the bridge over the river Sorn. Also known as Bridgend Distillery. Other sources speak of these two names being different distilleries, and claiming nothing can be seen of the former buildings. This article claims distillery changed name from Bridgeend to Killarow in about 1818.

9) Daill (1814-1830) map
Founder of this distillery also started Newton Distillery. The building are all still intact to this day.

10) Newton (1818-1837) map
Situated outside of Bridgend, one building should have survived, although modified.

11) Lossit (1826-1860) map
Ruins of this distillery are still visible along the shore of Loch Ballygrant, at the Lossit Kennels (near village of the same name). Ballygrant may also have been a name for this distillery.

12) Caol Ila (1846-) map
Distillery building are completely removed and rebuild from scratch in 1972-1974.

13) Bunnahabhain (1881-) map
Was build by farmers to make spirit of excess barley.

14) Port Ellen (1825-1983) map
The site where the spirit still was tested by Customs and Excise. In 2003 owner Diageo started to renovate the buildings into small business units. The site also hosts the Port Ellen Maltings, the place where the malt is produced for the Islay distilleries.

15) Ardenistiel (1837-1866) map
Now part of Laphroaig. The original name of the site was called Ardenistiel farm. Other names for this distillery are Kildalton and Islay.

16) Laphroaig (1815-) map


17) Ardmore (1817-1835) map
Now part of Lagavulin.

18) Lagavulin (1742-) map


19) Malt Mill(1908-1962) map
Became part of Lagavulin in 1962. Was originally build to compete with Laphroaig, using the same water source, and same type of stills. Some of the buildings survive to this day and are in use as visitor center for Lagavulin.

20) Ardbeg (1815-) map
Distilling can be traced back as early as 1794, but the current distillery dates from 1815. Closed in 1984, reopened in 1989, and then closed again from 1996 till 1997.

21) Scarrabus (1817-1818) map
There is no record this distillery actually have been producing anything.