Bowmore, on the shore of Loch Indaal, is the oldest distillery on Islay, founded in 1779 by a local merchant named Simson.1,2,3 Sources name him David or John P. Simson, and Whiskypedia calls the date contested, finding no evidence of whisky making before a licence in 1816.1,2,3 It malts part of its own barley on its own floor maltings.3,4,5 Japanese distiller Suntory has controlled it since 1994.3,4,6
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A fuller-bodied, waxy Bowmore with coastal saltwater, seaweed and citrus, balanced by tropical mango and syrupy passion fruit.
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Producing, 1779–1915
Silent, 1915–today
1779185019001950Today
From Simson to the Mutters
David Simson took a lease on the land at Bowmore in 1766.1,3 Whiskypedia records that John Simpson applied for a licence to distil at Bowmore in 1816.4 It lists John Johnston as owner from 1825, and John Simpson again from 1826 to 1837.4 In 1837 William and James Mutter, a Glasgow blending firm, bought the distillery and expanded it considerably.1,3,4 In 1880 the next generation, James and William Mutter, took over and made great improvements to the works.7
The plant in 1887
Alfred Barnard's book, The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom, first published in 1887, found 3 wash stills and 2 spirit stills, all heated by fire.7 The still house also had 2 copper condensers, which Barnard says were the first in use on Islay, and the yard held 3 worm tubs.7 Peat fires dried the malt in the kilns, and the annual output was 200,000 gallons of pure Islay malt.7 A new tun room held 3 washbacks, the vessels where fermentation happens, and the old one held 6 more.7 The firm's own 145-ton ship, the James Mutter, carried whisky to Glasgow.2,7 A lade, or water course, 9 miles long brought water from the Laggan.2,7
Changing hands
In 1887, after a drop in demand for whisky, John Bell Sherriff of Campbeltown bought the distillery for £20,000.1,3,8 It became the Bowmore Distillery Company, which entered administration in 1890; Whiskypedia's owner list instead keeps the Mutters until 1890.1,3,8 In 1892 a London group of 4 investors bought it; Whiskypedia names the owner from 1892 to 1925 as Joseph Robert Holmes.1,4 Wikipedia records that the distillery closed in 1915 and stayed closed until 1925.6 In 1925 J.B. Sheriff & Co. bought it; Bowmore calls this the Sherriff family's return, but Wikipedia says the seller was the Mutter family.1,4,6
War and after
Production stopped in 1940 for the war, and RAF squadrons operated from the distillery from 1940 to 1943.1,6,8 RAF Coastal Command flew flying boats from Loch Indaal on anti-submarine missions.1,6,8 William Grigor & Son of Inverness bought the distillery in 1950.4,6
The Morrison years
In 1963 Glasgow whisky broker Stanley P. Morrison bought Bowmore from the estate of Jimmie Grigor for £117,000.3,4,9 Output had fallen to 62,000 gallons that season, all made for one filling customer, Robertson & Baxter.
Next: War and after, The Morrison years, Under Suntory, How it makes its spirit
In summer 1964 the new owners installed a new pair of stills, a new mash tun and new washbacks, keeping the equipment and processes traditional.10
Blenders came back as the spirit became consistent, and Bowmore became part of many leading Scotch whisky brands.10
Stanley P. Morrison died in 1971; Whiskypedia says control passed to James Howat and Morrison's sons, Tim and Brian, while Wikipedia names only Brian.6,9
In 1980 Queen Elizabeth II chose Bowmore for her first visit to a Scotch whisky distillery.1,3,11
Jim McEwan, who joined Bowmore as an apprentice in 1963, returned as distillery manager in February 1986 and stayed for 12 years.12
Whiskypedia says the firm took the name Morrison Bowmore Distillers in 1987; Brian Morrison dates the change to 1988.4,9,10
Suntory bought a 35% stake in the firm in 1989, and Brian Morrison kept the other 65%.4,9,10 In 1994 Suntory bought the remaining shares and took full control of the distillery.3,4,6 Suntory bought Beam in 2014, and Morrison Bowmore became part of Beam Suntory, which also owns Laphroaig.4,9 In May 2024 Beam Suntory took the name Suntory Global Spirits.6,13 In February 2026 Suntory Global Spirits said it would merge the production teams at Bowmore and Laphroaig, while distillation continued at both.14
How it makes its spirit
Bowmore draws its water from the River Laggan, a supply David Simson paid for.1,3,4 On its floor maltings, staff turn the barley by hand; Whiskypedia says they meet 40% of its needs, while other sources say 30%.3,4,5 Smoke from the kiln's 2 furnaces dries the malt, which Whiskypedia lists at a peating level of 25-30ppm.4,5 Mixing its own malt with mainland malt gives a medium peated spirit, Whiskypedia says.4 Fermentation lasts at least 48 hours in 6 washbacks, where yeast turns sugars into alcohol.4,5 The washbacks are made of Oregon pine and stand 2 storeys tall.4,5 It has 2 wash stills and 2 spirit stills.4,6,8 Steam from an oil boiler heats the stills, and shell and tube condensers cool their vapour.4 Whiskypedia gives its capacity as 2 million litres of alcohol a year.4
