The Bowmore distillery proudly wears the badge of the being the first licensed Islay distillery, the “Original Islay” that was established in 1779 and stands on the south eastern shore of Lochindaal, a sea loch opening out into the wild Atlantic Ocean. Some historians believe the name Bowmore to be derived from a small black reef just outside Lochindaal whilst others reference the Norse for sunken rock, bogha mor, as its origination.

The distillery is owned by Morrison Bowmore Distillers Ltd, a holding company owned by Beam Suntory, a subsidiary of Japanese multinational drinks conglomerate Suntory. To this day, the distillery still operates in traditional ways, honouring the origin whisky-making techniques, taking care and attention to detail create the unique and timeless house style of Bowmore.