Paul Pacult, one of the world's most knowledgeable spirits experts has described Bowmore as being in the top echelon of Scotland's whisky operations. Bowmore Distillery is one of an ever decreasing handful of distilleries to produce its own floor malted barley. The barley is still laboriously hand turned, by the Maltman, using the traditional wooden malt shovel. The maltings at Bowmore Distillery are very much alive and part of the production process and for visitors to the distillery, seeing a working maltings floor is a rare and special sight.

Established in 1779 by local merchant David Simson, Bowmore was acquired by James Mutter and his family. Mutter, a farmer and distiller, had the unlikely role of Ottoman, Portuguese and Brazilian Vice-Consul in Glasgow. James Mutter considerably expanded the distillery and as the Bowmore name began to travel, demand grew. The family kept the distillery until 1887 when it was sold to John Sherriff of Campbeltown and became the Bowmore Distillery Company. In 1963 the distillery was acquired by Stanley P. Morrison. Although Morrison substantially rebuilt and renovated much of the distillery he retained the original floor maltings and traditional whisky production methods which are still in use to this day