Bunnahabhain Distillery: History, Owner, Range and Visitor Guide
Updated: 4 hours ago
Bunnahabhain sits on the north-east coast of Islay and was built with its own village for its workers. This guide covers where it is, how it began, who owns it, its core range and the questions people ask most.
In this guide
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Bunnahabhain at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Distillery / brand | Bunnahabhain |
Whisky region | Islay, Scotland |
Ownership (October 2026) | CVH Spirits |
History | Founded in 1881 on Islay. |
Expressions to explore | Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old and Bunnahabhain 18 Year Old |
Visiting / editorial note | Bunnahabhain is at the end of a single track road north of Port Askaig. ScotchWhisky.com lists visitor hours of 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday and closed at… |
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Where is Bunnahabhain Distillery?
Bunnahabhain was founded in 1881 near Port Askaig on the Isle of Islay, Scotland. The village of Bunnahabhain was founded to house its workers. The name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic Bun na h-Abhainne, meaning Mouth of the River.
Bunnahabhain history
The distillery was first owned by the Islay Distillery Company. In 1887 it was taken over by the Highland Distilleries Company. The earliest records of electricity on Islay date from 1894, when Bunnahabhain was provided with electric light.
The distillery was originally supplied by ship. A road was built to it in 1960 and the last delivery by ship was in 1993. It closed in 1981 and reopened in 1984 when demand picked up.
In 2003 it was acquired by Burn Stewart, which merged with Distell in 2014. Distell was later acquired by Heineken N.V. Bunnahabhain is one of nine active distilleries on Islay.
Who owns Bunnahabhain?
Bunnahabhain is now part of CVH Spirits. CVH was established in 2023 after Heineken acquired Distell, and it became an independent company majority owned by Remgro. Earlier references to Distell describe the previous group structure.
Distillery managers
Hamish Proctor, 1989 to 1998
John MacLellan, 1998 to 2009
Andrew Brown, from 2011
Stills, water and production
Stills: two wash stills of 30,000 litres and two spirit stills of 15,000 litres.
Water source: the Margadale River.
Capacity: 3,500,000 litres a year.
Bunnahabhain core range
Core products as of 2022 include:
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old, 46.3% ABV
Bunnahabhain 18 Year Old, 46.3% ABV
Bunnahabhain 25 Year Old, 46.3% ABV
Bunnahabhain 30 Year Old, 46.3% ABV
Bunnahabhain 40 Year Old, 41.9% ABV
Bunnahabhain Stiuireadair, 46.3% ABV
Bunnahabhain Toiteach A Dhà, 46.3% ABV
There are also independent bottler releases from several companies, including That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Douglas Laing and Duncan Taylor. Check the official website for the current range.
Bunnahabhain production facts from the trade record
Stills: four. Wash stills are 35,000 litres and spirit stills 15,500 litres, with a low fill that leaves plenty of copper contact.
Capacity: 2.74 million litres of pure alcohol a year.
Malt: plain malt at a maximum of 2 ppm and peated malt at a minimum of 35 ppm. About 20% of production is heavily peated, mainly for Toiteach.
Fermentation: 50 to 100 hours in six wooden washbacks of 70,000 litres.
Water: Margadale Spring for the process, Loch Staoisha for cooling.
Warehousing: about 20,000 casks on site in dunnage and racked warehouses.
Bunnahabhain history and ownership
William Robertson of Robertson and Baxter and the Greenlees brothers established the distillery in 1881, and production began in 1883. It cost about £30,000 because the company also built a pier, a road and housing. In 1887 the Islay Distillery Company merged with Glenrothes to form Highland Distillers, now part of Edrington.
The stills doubled to four in 1963 and the floor maltings were removed. The distillery was mothballed in 1982 and restarted in 1984 at a low level. Edrington sold it in 2003 to Burn Stewart for £10 million, and Distell bought Burn Stewart in 2013. Distell announced an £11 million upgrade in 2017, with works starting in 2019.
Ownership needs a check before publishing. ScotchWhisky.com lists Distell as parent since 2013. The Single Cask says Heineken completed its takeover of Distell in 2023 and that the Scotch business, including Bunnahabhain, Deanston and Tobermory, now trades as CVH Spirits. The owner line earlier in this guide should be read against that.
Range and official site
The official Bunnahabhain site groups its whiskies as The Classics, Limited Editions, Distillery Exclusives and Fèis Ìle, and at the time of checking promoted Ceithir Ginealaich, a vatting of four casks for the 40th anniversary of Fèis Ìle. ScotchWhisky.com names Toiteach as the main heavily peated bottling. The Single Cask adds that independent bottlers often label the peated make Staoisha.
Visiting Bunnahabhain
Bunnahabhain is at the end of a single track road north of Port Askaig. ScotchWhisky.com lists visitor hours of 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday and closed at weekends. The official site has a Plan Your Visit page with tours and tastings. Confirm hours before travelling.
Official website
Sources
2026 verified IWSC bottle awards
Bunnahabhain 18 Year Old single malt won a Gold medal at the 2026 International Wine & Spirit Competition. The official result lists its ABV as 46.3% and describes sherry, rich chocolate and gentle smoky-meat notes. Separately, a 35 Year Old Manta Ray Genesis bottling from East Asia Whisky Company sourced from Bunnahabhain won Gold Outstanding, but that was an independent bottling, not a core distillery release.
Bunnahabhain bottle range and expression comparison
The following expressions are documented in producer or release sources. Special editions can be sold out and some blended labels include sourced whisky.
Bottle or expression | Age or release | ABV | Producer documentation |
|---|---|---|---|
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old | 12 years | 46.3% | Bourbon and sherry |
Bunnahabhain 18 Year Old | 18 years | 46.3% | Oloroso casks |
Bunnahabhain Stiùireadair | NAS | 46.3% | Classic unpeated |
Bunnahabhain Toiteach A Dhà | NAS | 46.3% | Peated expression |
Bunnahabhain 25 Year Old | 25 years | 46.3% | Sherry matured |
Bunnahabhain 30 Year Old | 30 years | 46.3% | Old single malt |
Rare and historic whisky editions
These are historical or special releases, not live stock listings.
Bottle or expression | Age or release | ABV | Producer documentation |
|---|---|---|---|
Bunnahabhain 40 Year Old | 40 years | 41.9% | Very old special |
Bottle releases and visitor arrangements change over time; see original research and official sources.
More whisky distilleries to explore
Frequently asked questions about Bunnahabhain
Where is Bunnahabhain distillery?
Near Port Askaig on the Isle of Islay, Scotland.
Who owns Bunnahabhain?
Distell Group Limited, a subsidiary of Heineken N.V.
When was Bunnahabhain founded?
The Wikipedia pronunciation guide gives it as roughly buh-nuh-HAH-vən.
How do you pronounce Bunnahabhain?
The Wikipedia pronunciation guide gives it as roughly buh-nuh-HAH-vən.
What does Bunnahabhain mean?
Mouth of the River, from the Gaelic Bun na h-Abhainne.
Sources and latest checks
Whisky Clan has retained the original researched history and source notes above. The comparison table lists documented expressions, not guaranteed current stock. Please check the producer's current bottle labels for strength, cask details and availability.
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About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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