Tobermory

Introduction:

Tobermory produces two distinct lines of Whisky: the lightly smoky Tobermory Whisky and the peated Ledaig Whisky. Tobermory uses unpeated malt with low phenolic content, while Ledaig is made from peated barley. The standard bottlings include the 12 – year – old Tobermory and the 10 – year – old Ledaig, but older expressions like the 21 – year – old Tobermory and 18 – year – old Ledaig are also available. Tobermory 12 – year – old offers an intense and aromatic experience with fruity, floral, and spicy notes, while Ledaig 10 – year – old combines peat smoke with malty, citrus, and maritime flavors. Independent bottlings of Tobermory and Ledaig can also be found in the market.

The Gin:

Tobermory Gin, introduced in 2019, has a unique slightly malty character achieved by adding Whisky new make spirit before maceration. It includes hand-selected botanicals like juniper, tea, heather, elderflower, and sweet orange peel. Mountain Gin is the first limited edition offering, infused with rowan berries, tea, and wild heather, reflecting the purple landscape of Mull during summer. All Tobermory Gins contain Whisky new make spirit. Hebridean Coast Gin takes inspiration from the picturesque and wild coastlines of the Isle of Mull, incorporating botanicals like lovage, sugar kelp, lavender, and sea fennel for a sweet and salty flavor. The bottle designs reflect the landscapes that inspired each Gin, featuring colorful houses, mountainous scenery, or coastal views.

History:

Established in 1798, Tobermory is one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries. It faced ups and downs, including closures, changes in ownership, and renovations. The distillery went through multiple bankruptcies, reopenings, and changes in ownership until Burn Stewart Distillers took over in 1993. Later, the South African Distell Group acquired Burn Stewart Distillers in 2013.

Production:

The annual production capacity of Tobermory and Ledaig is 850,000 liters of alcohol, evenly split between the two. Tobermory operates below full capacity to allow for switching between smoky Ledaig and non-smoky Tobermory production, which requires thorough cleaning.

Tobermory sources its water from Gearr Abhainn and uses a stainless steel mash tun with energy recovery. Mashing is done in three stages, and fermentation takes place in wooden washbacks for an extended period, resulting in fruity flavors. The distillery has two pairs of pot stills, with the spirit stills slightly larger. Distillation is slower in the spirit still, allowing for better alcohol spread and condensation. Most casks are stored at sister distillery Deanston, and Tobermory has a small on-site warehouse for special editions and limited bottlings.

Visitor Centre:

Tobermory has a visitor centre offering tours and experiences, which can be booked online through their website.

Visitor information:

Tobermory Distillery
Ledaig, Tobermory
Isle of Mull
PA75 6NR
Tel. +44 168 8302647
Email: info.tobermory@distellinternational.com