Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2012 – Bruichladdich has encouraged 19 different farming partners to take on the challenge of growing malting barley on Islay. What started as an exploration of an Islay terroir has evolved into supporting a community whose industry has shifted from fishing and farming to distilling.

Where Bruichladdich has provided an opportunity to diversify, Islay’s farming community have responded with a tolerance of failure and risk. Acting as an unofficial R&D department, their experiences have shaped Bruichladdich’s understanding of barley growing on the west coast of Scotland and have inspired them to act for farming systems of the future.

Nowhere is the philosophy of barley exploration more important to us than here on Islay. Bruichladdich Islay Barley explores the influence of our island climate on the barley. Surely the conditions on this westerly rock at the edge of the Atlantic must bring something extra to the barley and to our expressive, floral single malt whisky? The airborne salt spray that washes the fields and our warehouses must leave its mark on cask and liquid?

The challenge of growing barley on Islay is no mean feat, it is a labour of love. Between wild Atlantic storms, torrential rain and the voracious geese, it is a battle of wills and the yield returns for our farmers are much lower than their mainland counterparts. However, the challenge has been accepted by local farmers who now raise barley year on year for Bruichladdich. Together, we have 16 years of harvests under our belts, growing from one farm in 2004 to 19 farms in 2020 – providing approximately 45% of the distillery’s total barley needs.