Islay Whisky News

Bowmore: Morrison Bowmore, owner of the Bowmore Distillery on Islay, the Lowland Distillery Auchentoshan at Dumbarton and Highland distillery Glen Garioch are cheering a sharp rise in profitability after shifting its focus from low-margin blended whisky to single malts. The Glasgow-based firm, taken over by Suntory of Japan in 1994, made a profit before tax of £2.6 million in the year to 31 December, 2006, against just £154,000 in 2005. The directors said: 'The improvement in profitability is down to the company's focus on moving away from low-margin blend business and concentrating on our single malt brands. This is reflected in the performance of Bowmore, whose sales in 2006 continued to grow.'

Ardbeg: 4.5 Litres of Whisky in One Bottle. Ardbeg distillery has announced the sale of 1,000 bottles of whisky with a difference. Each one weighs 6.5kg (14lb), is 52cm (20.5in) high, and will be priced at £350. Ardbeg Mór 10-year-old is 57.3% cask strength and is claimed to be the largest bottles of single malt on sale anywhere in the world.

Bruichladdich: Bruichladdich Links is a series of limited edition bottlings chosen by master distiller Jim McEwan, celebrating two of Scotland's big passions: golf and whisky. Naturally bottled on Islay without chill-filtration and free from colouring, it is reduced from cask to bottling strength with the legendary Islay spring water. This 14yr old bottling is limited to a worldwide release of 12,000 numbered bottles.