With the Feis Ile 2025 celebrations well under way, we have decided to take a look at the distilleries on the island and some of their iconic bottlings to date.
There are currently 10 active distilleries on Islay; from the oldest Bowmore, established in 1779, to the most recent additions of Ardnahoe in 2018 and Port Ellen in 2024 - arising from the ashes since its closure in 1983. Firstly, let’s take a brief probe into the timeline of the current ten active distilling sites on Islay: -
- 1779: Bowmore distillery is founded
- 1815: The Ardbeg and Laphroaig distilleries are established
- 1816: The Lagavulin distillery is founded
- 1825: Port Ellen is founded
- 1846: Caol Ila is established
- 1881: The Bunnahabhain and Bruichladdich distilleries are founded
- 1983: Port Ellen is mothballed and later declared closed for good
- 2005: The Kilchoman distillery is opened
- 2018: The Ardnahoe distillery is founded
- 2024: Port Ellen reopens
It is widely believed that distilling on the island begun in the 1300s by Irish monks. There have been approximately 15 other distilleries on the island over the years that are now considered lost, that include the likes of Ardmore, Lochindaal, Newton,Malt Mill and Tallant.
We’re going to focus on the eight original and longest serving distilleries on Islay, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite bottles from these below: -
Ardbeg 1976 22yo Manager’s Choice – Single Sherry Cask 2391
This stunning 22 year old sherry matured single malt was distilled on the 24th November 1976 at the Ardbeg distillery on the Isle of Islay.
Drawn from single Sherry butt number 2391 and bottled on the 23rd June 1999 at a natural strength 56% ABV, this is one of a limited run of just 497 bottles.
Specially chosen by the Distillery Manager, Stuart Thomson, this exceptionally rare beauty scored a massive 93 points with the WhiskyFun critics.
The Whisky Vault Price: net £7,083.33. Buy Here.
Bowmore 1973 Oddbins Bottling, Sherry Butt 5173-5174
This classic Bowmore single malt was distilled in 1973 and bottled in the 1980s for the wine and spirits merchants, Oddbins.
Oddbins selected four sister sherry butts, distilled on the 16th June 1973 at Bowmore. The casks were then bottled as two separate editions (Cask No’s 5173 & 5174 and Cask No’s 5175 & 5176). Each release yielded no more than 1400 bottles at 43% ABV.
At the time of bottling, these were the first ever 1973 vintages from Bowmore stocks to be commissioned. Bowmore eventually released further 1973 vintages, with many experts regarding those vintages of 1973 to be some of the distillery’s best ever work!
The Whisky Vault Price: net £2916.67. Buy Here.
Bruichladdich 1970, Vintage 2002 Bottling
This vintage Bruichladdich malt scored a scintillating 95 points with WhiskyFun, could this really be the top dog from this fine Islay distillery?
This (approximately) 32 year old masterpiece was laid down at the Bruichladdich distillery in 1970 and bottled in September 2002. This is one of just 4200 limited bottles.
The Whisky Vault Price: net £1,375. Buy Here.
Bunnahabhain 1968, Auld Acquaintance 2002 Hogmanay Edition
The Auld Acquaintance is legend of epic proportions; a 33 year old Islay single malt that was distilled at Bunnahabhain on the very last day of 1968, bottled in 2002 and released as the Hogmanay Edition to welcome the New Year of 2003.
Drawn from sherry casks at a natural strength 43.8% ABV, this is one of only 2002 bottles that comes with original presentation tube.
Is this the top dog from this fine distillery? You can make up your own mind, but the Malt Maniacs awarded this a whopping 93 points and it's rare they get it wrong!
The Whisky Vault Price: net £3,500. Buy Here.
Caol Ila 1991 30yo, Douglas Laing XOP - The Black Series
This deep-sherried 30 year old Islay single malt was laid to sleep at the Caol Ila distillery in January 1991 and bottled for Douglas Laing's Xtra Old Particular Black Series, a range designed to pay homage to their finest and rarest antique single cask whiskies stocks, in September 2021.
Yielded from refill sherry hogshead number 15245 at a natural cask strength 48.4% ABV, this glowing malt is one of just 190 hand-filled bottles that scored a brilliant 92 points on WhiskyFun!
The Whisky Vault Price: net £1,250. Buy Here.
Lagavulin 12yo, White Horse Distillers 1970s Bottling
This extremely rare 12 year old single malt was distilled at the Lagavulin distillery and bottled, we estimate, in the late 1970's by White Horse Distillers.
A legend in its own right, this Islay beauty was bottled at 75 proof and 26 2/3 Fl. Ozs and scored a quite excellent 94 points with WhiskyFun and has become a huge collectors item over the years.
The Whisky Vault Price: net £2,916.67. Buy Here.
Laphroaig 1960 40yo Vintage Reserve
This astoundingly rare 40 year old Islay single malt was laid to rest at the Laphroaig distillery in 1960 and bottled as the Vintage Reserve in the year 2000.
These casks were initially laid down for four decades in Warehouse Number One, under the due care and attention of the legendary Bessie Williamson.
Bottled at a natural cask strength 42.4% ABV, this is bottle number 009 of just 300 ever increasingly sought after bottles that comes complete with a leather presentation case and signed certificate, by the then distillery manager Iain Henderson.
The Whisky Vault Price: net £8,750. Buy Here.
Port Ellen 1979 29yo, Douglas Laing’s Old & Rare 2009 Bottling
This ultra rare 29 year old Islay single malt, from the Port Ellen distillery, was laid down in December 1979 and bottled for Douglas Laing's Old & Rare Platinum Selection in February 2009.
Originally only available through World Duty Free, this is one of just 261 bottles filled at a natural cask strength 53.8% ABV. We should also add that it was rewarded with a mammoth 93 point haul on the WhiskyFun site!
The Whisky Vault Price: net £2,500. Buy Here.
The history is rich and the future is bright for Islay distilling, for an island just 600km2 and a population of just over 3000, the legacy it has created for the Scotch whisky industry is quite remarkable. View all our bottles from the land of peat and glory here.