Scotland, Isle of Islay. Distillery operational. Owner: Beam - Suntory

Located on the Isle of Islay, in the heart of the village of the same name, in 1963 Bowmore became, under the aegis of Stanley P. Morrison (owner of the distillery until it was bought by the Japanese company Suntory in 1994), one of the greatest commercial successes in the Scotch whisky industry. Vault #1, responsible for some of its greatest releases, including Bowmore 30 Year Old 1963 and Bowmore Bicentenary, played an important role in forging its international reputation. Built below sea level against a natural dyke, its walls and beaten earth floors are constantly steeped in sea spray. Rooted in tradition, Bowmore is one of the last remaining distilleries to malt part of its own barley on-site. Whether matured in bourbon casks (White Bowmore 1964) or sherry casks (Black Bowmore 1964), its spirit, characterized by notes of liquorice, peat and eucalyptus, never fails to reveal the trademark hint of exotic fruit for which the distillery is known.

Bowmore 25 Year Old was launched in the early 1990s. The bottle is inspired by a Scottish legend that says that when the Scots spread from their Celtic homeland to found the Kingdom of Dal Riada, the Pictish clans resisted. The daughter of the Pictish king is said to have fallen in love with a captured Scottish solider, who she helped escape and fled with to Islay. A storm caused their boat was wrecked upon the shores of Loch Indaal, the two lovers appearing to have lost their lives, but two seagulls were seen flying across the water, never settling on either shore.