How a Lost Submarine Became Bruichladdich’s Yellow Submarine Legend

Wednesday, 27 May 2026 at 12:29

When you think of a yellow submarine, The Beatles probably spring to mind first. But after this story, that might change. This tale is about a yellow submarine that quite literally surfaced in the sea right behind the Bruichladdich Distillery.

FAQ

Who found the bright yellow submarine Bruichladdich Distillery used for its whisky?
John Baker, a fisherman who was three miles off the coast near the Mull of Oa.

How many Bruichladdich WMD whiskies are there?
There are already two bottles, with another one on the way.

What does Bruichladdich WMD stand for?
Whisky of Mass Distinction.

A submarine in Bruichladdich’s backyard

Sometimes the sea writes the finest whisky stories itself. So it did in 2005. John Baker, a local fisherman, was out about three miles from the Mull of Oa.

Suddenly he spotted a striking yellow object bobbing just below the surface. It wasn’t a body in a yellow coat, so what was it? He took a closer look, and before long it turned out to be a submarine.

Anyone missing a submarine?

Baker contacted Harold, his brother-in-law from Islay who worked with the coastguard. Together, they towed the yellow sub ashore and stored it in Harold’s garden in Port Ellen. On inspection, it appeared to be a Royal Navy submarine.

Although the Royal Navy initially denied it, it did turn out to be one of theirs. The vessel wasn’t collected for three months, more than enough time for the whole island to hear about the fiasco.

Bruichladdich saw the fun in it and decided to make something of the moment. The distillery soon released a 14-year-old whisky featuring the now-iconic yellow submarine on the label. The bottle was named Whisky of Mass Distinction II (WMD II).

A few bottles were also given to the crew of HMS Blyth, who came to retrieve the sub.

A submarine that keeps resurfacing

The vessel seemed to vanish for a while, then popped up again. In 2016, the submarine went up for auction on eBay. Bruichladdich couldn’t resist and bought it. A new release soon followed under the name Bruichladdich WMD III.