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Copper stills in the Bowmore still house, in black and white.
Isle of Islay

Bowmore Distillery

The distillery on the shore of Loch Indaal in Bowmore, Islay's oldest, with tours, tastings and a whisky bar.

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Welcome

Bowmore Distillery stands on School Street in Bowmore, on the shore of Loch Indaal, and has made whisky since 1779, which makes it the oldest distillery on Islay.

It keeps its own malt barn, where the barley is turned by hand day and night, and the peat smoke of its kiln helps give the whisky its signature taste. The No. 1 Vault stands on the shore of the loch.

The distillery advises booking tours and tastings ahead. The Whisky Bar, open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 4.30pm, needs no booking and looks out over Loch Indaal, and dogs are welcome in the visitor centre, shop and bar. If you are driving, let the team know in advance and they will pour your samples into small takeaway bottles to enjoy later.

The Daily

Arrives at 5am every day.

A free morning email to see what’s on this week, catch up on what’s happening in Scotland and find somewhere new to go.

The Daily for 30 October, from Scotland with love. Aerial view of a teal-coloured lochan cupped in a forested hollow, a scree slope rising on one side and autumn-tinged pines ringing the shore.
A little further outCaol Ila DistilleryThe distillery on the Sound of Islay near Port Askaig, the Islay Home of Johnnie Walker, with tours from £21 and views to Jura.19 min by roadSee itCaol Ila Distillery
Before you go

Open Monday to Saturday, with the Whisky Bar needing no booking.

Tours and tastings are best booked ahead.

Where
Bowmore Distillery, School Street, Bowmore, Isle of Islay PA43 7JS.
Open
Monday to Thursday and Saturday 9.30am to 5pm, Friday 10am to 5pm, closed Sunday. The Whisky Bar is open Monday to Saturday 11am to 4.30pm. Closed for the festive season from 23 December 2026, reopening on 5 January 2027.
Booking
Booking ahead is advised for tours and tastings, as spaces are limited, and guests who turn up on the day are accommodated where possible. The Whisky Bar needs no booking. Call 01496 810441.
Dogs
Welcome in the visitor centre, shop and bar. Dogs are not allowed in the production areas or warehouses, apart from guide dogs.
Access
The Whisky Bar is up a set of seven steps, there are some steps on the distillery tour route, and some production areas have uneven surfaces. Contact the distillery in advance and the team will help.
Getting there
Islay Airport is 5.5 miles from Bowmore, and the 450 bus runs between Bowmore and Portnahaven, Monday to Saturday. CalMac sails from Kennacraig to Port Askaig while Port Ellen is closed for upgrades (from 2 June 2026, expected to reopen in 2029).

Opening hours

Monday
9.30am–5pm
Tuesday
9.30am–5pm
Wednesday
9.30am–5pm
Thursday
9.30am–5pm
Friday
10am–5pm
Saturday
9.30am–5pm
Sunday
Closed

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Where it is

School Street, Bowmore, Isle of Islay, PA43 7JS, on the shore of Loch Indaal.

Close byIn Bowmore.
  1. BowmoreBowmoreIslay's main town, a planned village of 1768 whose Main Street climbs from the pier to the Round Church.Under a mile 1 min by road
  2. The long white building of the Celtic House on the corner, its windows along two streets.The Celtic HouseA bookshop and gift shop in Bowmore since 1959, with Hebridean books, Islay gifts and a coffee shop.Under a mile 1 min by road
  3. Peatzeria's whitewashed building on Shore Street, Bowmore, with its belfry and pointed windows.PeatzeriaAn Italian restaurant and takeaway on the seafront in Bowmore, with pizzas topped with Islay crab and scallops.Under a mile 1 min by road
  4. The Harbour Inn and its neighbours by the harbour in Bowmore, the loch beyond.Harbour InnBowmore Distillery's small guest house by the harbour in Bowmore, with seven rooms looking over Loch Indaal.Under a mile 1 min by road
  5. The whitewashed front of the Bowmore Hotel on Jamieson Street, its name across the gable.Bowmore HotelA family-run hotel on Jamieson Street in Bowmore, with Lucci's Whisky Bar and some 1,800 Islay and Jura malts.Under a mile 1 min by road
  6. Bruichladdich DistilleryBruichladdich DistilleryA Victorian distillery on Loch Indaal making Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte, Octomore and The Botanist gin.9 miles 14 min by road
Directions
The bar of the Port Charlotte Hotel, whisky bottles lined up behind a carved wooden counter.RestaurantsPort Charlotte Hotel3.6 miles as the crow flies
The long bar at the Ballygrant Inn, stools along the counter and shelves of whisky behind.BarsBallygrant Inn7.8 miles
The dark green hide at Loch Gruinart, set low in the grass.AttractionsLoch Gruinart9.3 miles
FinlagganAttractionsFinlaggan9.5 miles
Two crumbling stone gables of a ruined castle rise beside a lochAttractionsFinlaggan Castle9.5 miles
Masked woman packs boxes in a pottery studio lined with unglazed ceramics and paint bottlesShoppingPersabus Pottery, Ceramics and Art10 miles
White cottages line a clifftop row with a lighthouse in the distanceAttractionsIsle of Islay (pronounced Eye-la)10 miles
Whitewashed terraced houses and a church spire overlook a seaweed-strewn beachAttractionsPort Ellen10 miles
Black rigid inflatable boat moored before white cottages along a wooded shorelineAttractionsPort Askaig11 miles

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