Bunnahabhain

Bunnahabhain was founded in 1881 by William Robertson in partnership with Greenlees Bros. Its location on the northeast coast of Islay necessitated substantial development, including housing, road construction, and a pier for transportation. In 1887, the merger of Bunnahabhain and Glenrothes led to the formation of Highland Distillers (now Edrington). This distillery is characterized by its size, featuring a vast courtyard and imposing stills with low fill levels and ample copper surface area, contributing to its historically light style of malt. Traditionally aged in ex-Sherry casks, Bunnahabhain whisky acquires a sumptuously sweet richness, often accompanied by intriguing notes of spicy ginger and occasional hints of saltiness from refill casks.

Bunnahabhain primarily played a role in the blending industry, contributing to three prominent R&B blends: Famous Grouse, Cutty Sark, and eventually Black Bottle. Despite an initial growth period in the early 1960s, the distillery faced a challenging period and was briefly mothballed in 1982. Though production resumed after two years, output remained limited for some time. It wasn't until the late 1980s that Bunnahabhain began to establish itself as a single malt, earning the tagline 'the unpronounceable malt.' Nevertheless, a significant portion of its output continued to support blended Scotch. While peat levels at Bunnahabhain had dwindled from the 1960s onwards, recent efforts by Burn Stewart have revived its smokier heritage. Presently, around 20% of its production is heavily peated, destined for various bottlings, with the primary expression being Toiteach.

In 2003, Edrington sold the distillery to Burn Stewart for £10 million. Burn Stewart, formerly owned by CL Financial, eventually became part of South African distributor Distell. Under Distell's ownership, production levels and single malt sales have increased, particularly in Africa and Taiwan. However, in 2023, Heineken completed a takeover of most of Distell Group's assets, and the Scotch whisky business was spun out under the ownership of Capevin Holdings, 59.5% owned by South African investment group Remgro, under the name CVH Spirits.