WE HAD A DREAM.....

OUR STORY

A modest family spirits company who dared to dream unashamedly about creating the first Islay rum!  We believed that to make a truly distinct and original Scottish island rum then we would have to go to the island where the most distinctive Scotch whisky is made – the jewel in Scotland’s spirits crown, the legendary Island of Islay! 

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We also dared to believe that one day we would create a distillery of our own.  It’s a hefty dream, we know, but it came true…….with blood, sweat, tears and a passionate young distiller! 

In January 2022 we completed the transformation of the Old Lemonade Factory in Port Ellen and began a new journey into spirit-making.

With The Islay Rum Distillery, not only have we created the first ever Islay rum,  we have produced a world class rum to complement the island’s world class malt whisky.

With a global reputation for providing quality spirits, we were never going to produce just any old spirit.   Distilling rum on Islay is a great privilege and we are passionate that our rum should conserve and enhance the quality of distilling on the Island.   

Using the traditional copper pot still, twin retort and triple distillation and having fun with flavours that are evocative of the island we have focused on the ethos of quality over quantity and produced an authentic and outstanding small batch island rum. 

Lastly, but by no means least, there would be no Islay Rum if it wasn't for our Head Distiller - Ben Inglis.  Without Ben, and his knowledge and great passion for traditional rum distillation, The Old Lemonade Factory may still be derelict and our dream a pipe one!  Having extensively studied rum making techniques from around the world, Ben came to this project with a clear vision for the type of spirit he wanted to produce.  This man knows how to make amazing rum and is set to forge new paths for the future of distilling on the island.