Ledaig, originally likely a peated malt, has gone through various phases in its history. In more recent times, both peated and unpeated whiskies have been made at the Tobermory distillery, with the name Ledaig now exclusively used for the heavily-peated variant. The distillery currently produces equal amounts of both peated and unpeated whisky, offering a clear distinction between the two styles.
Tobermory’s distinctive whisky style is largely due to its uniquely shaped stills, which feature both boil bulbs and an S-shaped kink in the lyne arms, contributing to increased reflux during distillation. This unusual design plays a significant role in shaping the character of Tobermory whisky. Additionally, all single malt bottlings from the distillery are now non-chill-filtered and bottled at 46.3% ABV, which helps preserve the full flavor profile of the whisky.
The history of the Tobermory distillery is marked by a series of changes in ownership and periods of closure. Established in 1798 by John Sinclair under the name Ledaig, the distillery struggled and was silent for several years between 1837 and 1878. After a series of owners, it was acquired by the Distillers Company Limited (DCL) in 1916 and continued production until 1930. The distillery then went silent for over 40 years.
In the post-war whisky boom of the 1970s, Tobermory was revived by a joint venture involving a Liverpool shipping company, Sherry producer Pedro Domecq, and Panamanian interests. This partnership lasted only three years, but during that time, the distillery was renovated and capacity was increased.
The distillery faced another period of closure when a property firm from Cleckheaton, Yorkshire, purchased it with plans to convert some of the buildings into holiday accommodation and use others for cheese storage. It remained closed from 1982 until 1993 when Burn Stewart, now part of South African company Distell, acquired it.
In 2017, Distell announced a major refurbishment plan for Tobermory, which required the distillery to close for two years starting in March 2017. However, the visitor centre remained open throughout the renovation process, and the distillery resumed production after the refurbishment was completed.
