The Bunnahabhain Distillery Company

The Bunnahabhain Distillery Company History

Although Bunnahabhain distillery was constructed during a period of confidence in the Scotch whisky industry in the late 19th century, its current owner appeared over 120 years later.

William Robertson (of Robertson & Baxter) founded Bunnahabhain on Islay’s remote north east coast in 1881, in partnership with the Greenlees Brothers. The partnership was incorporated as the Islay Distillery Company Ltd the following year, and became a founding company of Highland Distillers (the precursor to Edrington) in 1887.

Bunnahabhain’s single malt whisky was always destined for blending, particularly for Robertson & Baxter’s The Famous Grouse, Cutty Sark and – eventually – Black Bottle blends.

In 2003, despite growing demand for single malt whiskies, particularly from Islay, Edrington sold Bunnahabhain and Black Bottle to Burn Stewart Distillers for £10 million. The distillery’s new owner incorporated the Bunnahabhain Distillery Company the same year to oversee its operation.

Burn Stewart itself was sold by the receivers of its Trinidad-based owner CL Financial – which went bust in 2009 – to South African drinks producer Distell in 2013.