Bruichladdich has teamed up with Glasgow nightlife institution Sub Club to mark the return of its cult Yellow Submarine whisky as part of the Islay distillery’s 25th anniversary celebrations. The collaboration, dubbed The Yellow Sub Club, launched the limited-edition Yellow Submarine III and saw Glasgow’s Islay Inn transformed into a pop-up version of the famous nightclub for one night only.
The campaign was created in partnership with Glasgow-based creative agency Story Shop.
Yellow Submarine III sits at the heart of a series of special releases marking 25 years since Bruichladdich’s revival in 2001.
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READ THE STORYThe original Yellow Submarine bottlings were inspired by a yellow Ministry of Defence submarine discovered by fishermen off Islay’s coast during the distillery’s early years. A decommissioned example of the model remains a fixture at the distillery today.
For the launch event, the Islay Inn was fitted with bespoke Sub Club signage, branded glassware, a purpose-built DJ booth, and a branded nightclub entry stamp.
Scottish DJ Hayley Zalassi, a Sub Club regular, provided the soundtrack.
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Guests enjoyed Yellow Submarine cocktails and drams alongside a nautical-themed menu featuring oysters from The Shuckle Brothers, plus prawns, squid and chips. Master Blender Adam Hannett attended to raise a glass to the whisky’s return.
“Yellow Submarine has always represented a fun and irreverent chapter in Bruichladdich’s story,” said Douglas Taylor, CEO of Bruichladdich Distillery. “We wanted to celebrate the creativity, curiosity and power of genuine partnership that helped shape Bruichladdich into the brand it is today.”
Taylor added: “This was about bringing a story back to life and creating a cultural moment that captured the spirit of Yellow Submarine for a new generation.”
Mike Grieve, owner of Sub Club, said: “The idea immediately appealed to us because it was fun, unexpected and completely born out of the way Bruichladdich approaches whisky.”
Grieve continued: “And let’s be honest, the name was too good to ignore.”
Founded in 1987 in a former Victorian bathhouse basement on Jamaica Street, Sub Club is regarded as one of the world’s most respected electronic music venues.
Yellow Submarine III is a 14-year-old whisky bottled at 54.2% ABV, made with 100% Scottish barley of the Appaloosa varietal. It carries a recommended retail price of £100 and is available from bruichladdich.com and specialist whisky retailers as of June 1, 2026.
According to the official notes from the brand, the whisky opens with “sweet, honeyed oats and buttery shortbread,” leads to a palate of “fresh orange zest” and “creamy crème brûlée,” and closes with a “long and lingering” finish of “honeyed sweetness, gentle warming spice and toasted hazelnut.”
