Falkirk town is enjoying a bit of a renaissance when it comes to whisky production. The shut Rosebank is a much-revered whisky, with remaining stocks continuing to command high prices. It is built in Falkirk, on the Forth and Clyde canal between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Its name originated after the roses which grew along the banks of the canal. In October 2017 Ian MacLeod Distillers Ltd purchased the site from Scottish Canals and the trademarks from Diageo with the intention of reopening the site.
Rosebank became a sought-after whisky among blenders, who regarded it as 'top dressing'. The demand was so great that Rankine Jr. was able to charge blenders rent on barrel space while they waited for their order. Success
followed and, by the 20th Century, Rosebank was revered by whisky connoisseurs
the world over as "The King of the Lowlands." There was a beautiful juxtaposition in one of the lightest,
most floral Scotch whiskies ever made being distilled in Scotland's heavy
industry Central Belt. This contrast was reflected in the unique
production technique of marrying worm tub condensers and triple
distillation. The resulting light/full contrast in flavour made it a
category defining Lowland single malt Scotch whisky.
The new Rosebank quickly grew, requiring expansion in 1845 and rebuilding in 1864. In 1861 when Camelon Distillery went bankrupt, Rankine bought & demolished it, leaving the maltings only for the use of Rosebank. Rosebank Distillery Ltd was formed in 1894, and
in 1914 it was among the companies that amalgamated (Clydesdale, Glenkinchie, St. Magdalene and Grange) to form the Scottish Malt
Distillers. Five years later the group became part of DCL.
In 1886, the distillery
was visited by Alfred Barnard, who noted that it was set across two sites one
on each side of the canal with a swing bridge linking the pair. The malt was
produced in the former Camelon maltings on the west side of the canal and would
be transferred over to the distillery on the east side by means of the swing
bridge. He also noted that their warehouse at the time had storage for 500,000
gallons (1,892,710 litres).
The new distillery will have three stills for triple distillation, plus worm tub condensers, aiming to mirror as closely as possible Rosebank’s historic and much-loved style. There are records of the process and new make spirit style from 1970s but these were of limited use. Things have moved on so much since then. It’s triple distillation, so there are many more permutations. The only piece of equipment likely to survive from the old distillery is the mill – which was second-hand, coming to Rosebank from Port Ellen on Islay during the 1930s.
There can be no doubt that the new distillery will provide a multifunctional resource capable of delivering a range of practical solutions for business and leisure in the area. Of course the whisky itself must not be overlooked. Replicating the spirit of the past would produce a triple distilled whisky unique to the area and put Falkirk firmly back on the map as a whisky producing area.
The new facility will furnish the town with an important attribute. Once completed, the distillery will provide 86 full time jobs and is expected to attract around 75,000 visitors a year. Falkirk already boasts a number of existing points of interest for the visitor and Rosebank Distillery will be a landmark attraction, a reality for the town and surrounding area.
The team will be creating a triple-distilled revival of Rosebank single malt, last produced in the town in 1993 – a welcome addition to the beguiling collection of Lowland malts. Cult ‘lost’ distillery Rosebank hopes to reopen in autumn 2021 as plans to resurrect the Lowland single malt await council approval.
Rosebank distillery expects to reopen in July 2022. Full planning permission has been granted and the contractor ISG is now working on the site. Fans are excitedly waiting for the grand return.
The historic site of the distillery is bounded by the Antonine Wall, a Scheduled Ancient Monument and World Heritage Site. To the west of the distillery, stands proud Mumrills Fort a place where it argued that the Battle of Falkirk took place. The epic build of the distillery compliments these invaluable assets and through time will become recognised as a place of exceptional Lowland Malt.
Complementing Falkirk town’s three existing and renowned visitor attractions (Callendar House, The Falkirk Wheel and The Kelpies), George Stewart's Falkirk Distillery is just a short walk from magnificent Callendar House and was due to open to visitors in the latter part of 2019. Alongside the new distillery, the new distillery building, with its distinctive pagoda, is to include retail, restaurant and office space, quite an experience when opened. The plan which was slightly behind schedule moved into 2021 to let the new make run. An update is placed at the end of this post.
The Founder’s interest in the extraction and bottling of natural spring water coupled with fervent admiration of the Scotch industry (lest not forget its finest produce) gave George the idea of bringing whisky back to Falkirk. From here a diviner (whisky in hand) set about sourcing a site in George’s locality which would provide the finest source of water, their Artesian well.
Now for those ‘lost years’, where to begin? This chapter or chapters can be summarised by
a simple phrase: ‘blood, sweat and tears’. The Family drew on its own
resources, using local labour, industry experts, sourced the best equipment and
survived on a diet of determination. Every inch of the distillery from the
laying of the first stone, to the hand crafted copper pagodas and the
traditional bonded warehouse has been built to try and respect and mirror what
whisky is about: ‘place, people, family and the future’. Whisky is about tomorrow and tomorrow will
surely be a better day….
Traditional appearance, modern facilities; how the new distillery looks today. Producing its own
distinctive distilled whisky, the new building will house a world class
leading retail, restaurant and business complex. The company intends to invite
some of Scotland's best known iconic brands to take up occupancy in the
centre's six retail units. A licensed restaurant and fully equipped conference
facility will complete the inventory for this world class attraction.
Where are they today? Falkirk Distillery has announced the production of an ‘exceptional new make spirit’. The distillation process is a fine marriage between the old and the new; their two impressive Speyside copper stills and 4.5 tonne traditional copper mash tun have been
married with the 34,000 litre fermentators, spirit safe and state of the art
Buhler Malt intake. A heady mixture of both geography and age, with the finest raw ingredients kindly nurtured to
produce the most ‘exceptional new make spirit’.
SPIRIT PROFILE
‘After rigorous testing the team at Falkirk Distillery have succeeded in their mission in producing a quality Lowland spirit,
‘organoleptically, the sensory team assessed your NMS as very good.’
Nose: sweet, floral, herbal
Palate: sweet pears, warming mild spice, buttery, sweet hazelnut
Finish: long and sweet, faint tinge of heather
After more than five decades spent running local businesses, the Stewart family celebrated in July 2020 when the distillery became fully operational. There was further reason to be pleased late last year when Falkirk Distillery Company started producing a spirit for the first time. Fans will have to wait a wee while before sampling its whisky, though, as a spirit isn’t whisky until it has been distilled for at least three years.
Inside the magnificent new distillery building are two copper stills and a copper mash tun, which have a long history in whisky distilling having come from the Caperdonich distillery at Rothes, Aberlour.
George Stewart’s family-run distillery has taken the step to “producing status” after 10 years of vision, planning and construction work. Equipped with the mash tun and two stills from the closed Caperdonich Distillery (the Belgian Owl Distillery has been working with the other two Caperdonich stills for a while), the Falkirk Distillery will have the capacity to produce more than a million litres of alcohol annually.
They want to produce a light Lowland malt that would appeal to a wide range of spirit drinkers.
Experienced Distillery Manager Graham Brown, who started at Distell and worked for both Deanston and
Tobermory, is responsible for the development and quality of the whisky and
explains that their main aim here is to focus on the quality of the spirit.
There is no rush to just put anything out to market that isn’t something to
feel immensely proud of and that facet will show in the final product.
Founder George Stewart also thinks in terms of time and said: “The whole process to date has been one of passion and patience. We have invested heavily in time and money to create something we hope the local area can be immensely proud of. We are overwhelmed
with the support shown already from the local area and whisky community. There
is something about whisky that really brings people together. Our expectations
are that over 80,000 visitors will come through the doors here every year and
that has to be a boost for the local community. Furthermore, once fully
operational with tours and restaurant running, we will require well over 60
staff members.”
Falkirk Distillery waits for revival of tourism, located on the M9. It hopes for a large number of
visitors once tourism starts up again after the Covid-19 restrictions. Then a
restaurant and a tasting event centre will join the distillery. Whisky fans can
follow the development of the distillery online and see if anything of note is
in the offing.
the man that John O’Groats takes it’s name from. In particular,
the house he built on the site which is now marked by a mound
near the John O’Groats house hotel, very close to our distillery
Why John O’Groats?
The owners can’t think of
anywhere better than John O’Groats to make whisky, partly thanks to the climate
which is perfect for whisky maturation and also the great people who live in
and visit the area.
John O’Groats is the most northerly settlement on the UK mainland and will soon lay claim to hosting the
most northerly distillery too. Famous as part of the Land’s End to John
O’Groats iconic 874 mile journey through the length of the UK, it is a small
coastal village with panoramic views across the Pentland Firth.
Key Personnel
John Ramsay, the whisky
creator. John has a huge legacy in Scotch Whisky having worked in the industry
for over 40 years. The owners are delighted to be working with and learning
from such an expert to produce the first whisky from 8 Doors Distillery.
The idea of working with a
small, independent distillery that’s focussing on maturation as much as
distillation really appealed to John and he’s sharing his wealth of knowledge
with the rest as the 874 Club launch products are brought to life.
Ian Evans, Distilled
Experience Ltd. Ian has a wealth of experience in Scotch Whisky having worked
for William Grant and Sons for 15 years. Ian’s experience in designing and
building new distilleries has been invaluable consultancy as we work towards
launch in 2021.
Ian’s 40+ years in the
drinks industry and 15 years as Operations Development and Quality Director,
and then Distilleries Strategic Development Manager for William Grant and Sons
brings a breadth of additional knowledge and experience to the team. They’re
excited to be working with someone whose all-encompassing focus on quality fits
perfectly with the vision to build a distillery that delivers only the finest
Single Malt whisky.
Kerry & Derek Campbell,
the owners. Straight, simple and to the point.
Whisky + Place = The dream. Realised!
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| What the bottles will look like when produced |
Distillery Data
The water: Water is
sourced from a dedicated borehole on site. The purest John O’Groats water drawn
from deep inside ancient rock formations and naturally filtered through layers
of sandstone.
The stills: Their bespoke
copper pot stills are being made by specialists in Speyside, Scotland. They are specifically designed to distillery
requirements to create exceptional, small batch, hand crafted whisky.
The climate: Located by the coast in John O’Groats, their warehouses are perfectly placed for maturing
whisky. Sea mist, ocean spray and a cool climate all contribute to the creation
of complex whisky characteristics.
The casks: Their first-fill casks are made from the finest oak, seasoned specifically for the
distillery, the result of working with their partners in Spain to create the
perfect vessel to bring the whisky to maturity.
The Distillery: Opening 2021.
They created
a design that reflects their modern ambitions, to build a home for their
whisky, a space for them to take their time and use traditional methods when
hand crafting the perfect spirit. The distillery delivers breathtaking views
across the Pentland Firth, whatever the weather! Lots of windows to ensure all
visitors can enjoy the view from the comfort of the whisky lounge and visitor
centre. The distillery on the 32,670 square feet site will have the capacity to
produce up to 60,000 litres of whisky each year. The distillery and visitor
centre will be housed in one large building and whisky will be matured in an
on-site bonded warehouse.
‘Whisky. From the Edge’. The
whisky flavour profile will be influenced by the local climate and its
situation right beside the sea – hence the strapline.
Their Exclusive Club: They have named their exclusive club 874 Club after one of the greatest journeys in the UK - the 874 miles between Land’s End and John O’Groats.
The bottlings which we now
see come from Brora’s last flaring. This was when the still was run
specifically to fill in perceived holes in DCL’s inventory. As a result you'll see
Broras that are vastly oily and smoky, as also some with the merest exhalation
of peat. The waxy, oily, marine/ mineral characters seen in Clynelish are invariably
exaggerated. instead of the waxy oil of Clynelish, here there's a lot of lemon
acidity. There was, sadly, a small run of bottlings with a butyric character.
Diageo releases an annual
– and limited – bottling as part of its Special Release programme. With growing
interest in smoky whiskies – and closed distilleries – Brora has become a cult
malt.
Brora – or as it was
originally known, Clynelish – is one of Scotland’s Clearance distilleries. It
was built in 1819 by the the Duke of Sutherland who, with his wife and her estate
managers, enacted some of the most brutal forced evictions in the Highlands, as
part of an economic experiment which saw 15,000 farmers from their estate
alone, moved off their land and resettled either on the coast, or sent to
Canada and Australia.
Those who ended up in the
new settlement at Brora were put to work in the Duke’s new business
enterprises, one of which was distilling. It took some time for the distillery
to find its feet, passing through a number of lessees until George Lawson took
charge. He and his sons would run the plant from 1846 to 1896 when they sold it
to the Glasgow blender James Ainslie and his business partner John Risk who
rebuilt the site that year.
Ainslie himself went bust in 1912 when Risk and DCL took shares in the firm, John Walker & Sons
following in 1916. Risk was bought out in 1925, when Walker joined DCL and the
latter took complete control in 1930. It wasn’t until after the Second World
War that the distillery began to increase capacity significantly as a result of
demand for blends increasing. By 1967, this had reached such a height that it
was decided that it would be easier to build a new and larger distillery –
initially known as Clynelish 2 – alongside the original buildings than try to
expand them.
The old distillery closed
for a year, but reopened in 1969 and was in production, though not always at
full capacity, until it closed in 1983.
In 1975, after a change in
legislation banning two distilleries from being called the same, its name was
changed to Brora. During 1972 to 1974 when DCL’s Caol Ila was being rebuilt,
production of heavily peated malt was switched here. Also, during periods of
drought on Islay, the production of DCL’s heavily peated requirements was
switched to the far north east. This could explain why although Brora’s peating
levels in general dropped after 1977, there are occasional heavily smoky
expressions from the 1980s.
The distillery was closed
finally in 1983, and although rumours surfaced occasionally about it reopening
they seemed little more than wishful thinking. However, in October 2017 Diageo
revealed plans to reopen both Brora and Port Ellen distilleries, which also
closed in 1983. Subject to planning permission, the two sites are expected to
be operational once more in the 2020s.
Given the age of the Brora
distillery, a comprehensive survey was carried out on the building to identity
areas that needed work. Sections that needed repair were dismantled and
rebuilt. The distillery’s iconic pagoda roof was also removed and restored by
the engineering team before being reinstalled.
The distillery’s original
copper pot stills have also been refurbished by Diageo’s coppersmiths at
Abercrombie. It was lucky that the stills were in a good enough position to be refurbished
for reuse. The refurbished stills will produce around 800,000 litres of whisky
per year; a volume that pays homage to the distillery’s small-batch production
of the past.
The Diageo archive holds
comprehensive and historic information on the previous distillation regimes of
Brora, which have been used to guide work in the new distillery. Many of
Brora’s original buildings will remain on the site, with the addition of a new
still house to house Brora’s two stills.
The use of these stills is
due to the fact that Brora aims to distil the same style of whisky that was
produced at the distillery prior to its closure. Detailed records kept by
Diageo in its distilling days will help the distillers of today to reproduce the
famed whisky.
The transportation of the
stills for refurbishment marked a huge milestone in the revival of the
distillery. Brora was meant to be fully-functioning by Summer 2020, but
Covid-19 related delays mean that the site should now be up and running some
time in 2021. Let us hope that it is worth the wait!
The newly-restored Brora
Distillery is right next door to Clynelish Distillery and is scheduled to start
production again in summer 2021. The resurrected distillery will not be open
for distillery tours, but visitors will be able to learn more about it on a
tour of Clynelish Distillery.
As in the original
distillery, a seawater cooling system will channel cooling water to the
condenser, with greater efficiency than its predecessor. Spent lees will be
disposed of to the sea through an existing effluent line to a long sea outfall,
and solid by-products will be sold as animal feed.
Diageo, however, is mum
about whether Brora will continue to roll out its coveted Special Releases
after the new distillery opens its doors. The first Brora to be released from
the reopened distillery will be a 12 Year Old – subsequent releases will be
older expressions. The folks at Diageo remain coy about the style of the new 12
Year Old, noting that they will “produce whisky that will match the character
and quality of its illustrious predecessors”.
But there are clues. Diageo mentioned in its media release that the new distillery will most likely get its malt from the maltings at Glen Ord distillery, which already makes peated malt for Talisker and thus “has the capability to make peated malt for Brora”. We’d wager that the 12 Year Old will be peaty but with a slightly toned down smokiness to appeal to a wider range of drinkers.
UPDATE ON BRORA
REWORKED DISTILLERY OPENED ON 19 MAY 2021
One of the most famous “lost” distilleries in the Scotch whisky industry has been brought back to life on 19 May 2021, 38 years after being mothballed and following three years of intensive restoration. Spirit is once more flowing at the “ghost” distillery of Brora in Sutherland following a comprehensive restoration project by owner Diageo. The reawakening comes nearly four decades after the distillery was closed during a period of excess capacity across the industry. Diageo has revived Brora as part of a £35 million project which will also see it bring the celebrated Port Ellen distillery on Islay back to life. It declared that the investment marks a “major signal of confidence in the future growth” of the Scotch whisky industry. The renovated site is capable of another 200 years of production, according to Diageo. As one of Diageo’s smallest distilleries, Brora has the capacity to produce 800,000 litres of spirit annually.
In the 38 years that the distillery had been closed, it gained cult status among whisky fans. The remaining casks and bottlings have seen a great increase in value. A new Brora era has begun and new whiskies will mature. The Brora brand sits within Diageo’s Reserve portfolio of premium and luxury spirits, which the company said accounted for 15% of its growth when it reported its interim results in January.
Master Distiller Stewart Bowman had the honour of officially opening the doors of the Brora Distillery and pouring the first new make into the cask today. His father was the last excise man of Brora and Bowman found it emotional to roll the first new cask into warehouse 1. His father, Alastair Bowman, was the Excise official who oversaw the closure in 1983. Diageo plans to release its Ultra-rare Brora Triptych alongside, at £30,000 for the set of three really old, rare and expensive expressions.
Joanne McKerchar, archivist at Diageo, played an important role during the renovation, as the personal experiences of the workers from Brora’s active days were to be incorporated into the planning. The new Brora Distillery works with stills that are exact copies of the old stills, and efforts were made to replicate the original conditions and production processes as far as possible.
From July, visitors will be welcomed again to the Brora Distillery. The two very exclusive and expensive tour options for £600 or £300 per person can be booked on the distillery's website. They will include tastings of rare Brora releases, and a new distillery-exclusive bottling, called The Brora Distillery Collection: Hidden Beneath, a Brora 1982 39 Year Old.
New Distillery At Grantown-on-Spey
GORDON & MACPHAIL READY TO BUILD NEW CAIRNS DISTILLERY
The family owned Speymalt
Whisky Distributors Ltd, who trade as Gordon & MacPhail, is set to build a new
whisky distillery on the banks of the River Spey at Craggan, near
Grantown-on-Spey. The Cairngorms National Park Authority granted approval for
the design on 11 October 2019. It is to carry the name Cairns Distillery.
Gordon & MacPhail is a
family owned business which has built its unrivalled knowledge and expertise in
the Scotch whisky industry over a 124-year history. In 1993, they acquired
Benromach Distillery and reopened it, after extensive refurbishment, in 1998. Local
response to their plans has been a healthy positive.
The building has been designed to take full advantage of the outstanding views across the River Spey to the Cairngorms. The eye-catching modern design includes the distillery and warehousing, as well as tasting rooms, a visitor centre with retail space and a coffee shop. The circular nature of the building will disguise much of the day to day working area within the service yard and sedum roofs will allow the buildings to blend into the surrounding environment.
They aim to build on the
success of Benromach, with the second distillery forming an important part of
the company’s ambitious plans for growth.
Their story begins, as do most old timers in the industry, with a grocery, established in 1895 in the
heart of Scotland’s Speyside region. They originally curated all manner of
groceries from around the world such as teas, coffees, wines and whisky. Their
appreciation of the rich tapestry of flavours they encountered led the
founders, James Gordon and John Alexander MacPhail, to seek out and complement
this varied stock with equally fine produce in the form of Speyside’s many and
varied single malt Scotch whiskies.
In 1915, a young John Urquhart
joined the business to serve as an apprentice under the two founding partners.
Urquhart quickly established himself as a valuable associate for James Gordon
in selecting, purchasing, and maturing whiskies from local distilleries. John
also assisted with the creation of house blends for the shop’s customers across
the Speyside area. Over his long career dedicated to sourcing flavour both from
home and abroad, John Urquhart developed his skills as a master of malt whisky
maturation, building an impressive portfolio of maturing whisky casks. He was
able to pass on this deep knowledge and passion for single malt Scotch whisky
to his family.
Under the expert tutelage
of his father, George Urquhart joined the business in 1933. Like his father
before him, young George began at the very bottom: cleaning, sweeping, and
stacking. Through carefully nurtured relationships with local single malt
distillers and a deep understanding of the spirit that they produced, John and
George Urquhart were able to focus on the importance of maturation. They
matched spirit to the highest quality oak casks, before lovingly maturing the
whisky, often over many decades.
On 03 February 1940, 15
First Fill Sherry Butts were filled at Glenlivet and left to mature in
warehouse number 6 at the distillery. Over the years some of the casks were
used and on the 10th January 1980, the remaining 8 casks, including cask 339,
were moved to Gordon & MacPhail’s own bonded warehouse in Elgin.
With excellent stocks of
whisky, the business survived the ravages of the Second World War, releasing
large quantities of our stocks of mature whiskies for shipment to the United
States. These whiskies brought in needed funds that were applied towards the war
effort. During those bleak years, when barley rationing reduced distilling
almost to a standstill, they continued to fill their casks. Owing to the
prudent stewardship of John and George, the future was secured during these
turbulent times. Indeed their foresight in filling large amounts of whisky in
the late 1930s and early 1940s meant we had healthy stocks when peace was
finally declared in 1945. This is when they made their killing!
Connoisseurs Choice
Launches
In the late 1960s, George took the unprecedented step of launching a range of single malts from across Scot distilleries bottling them under the banner of 'Connoisseurs Choice'. Aimed at the emerging markets of France, USA, Italy, and The Netherlands, all having developed a love for well-matured single malt Scotch whisky, this range set the trend for single malts around the world. Future generations of Urquhart were to follow.
In the 1970s and ‘80s the
business expanded significantly. Led by UK Sales Director at the time David
Urquhart, the company grew its wholesale business throughout Scotland, then
further afield in the United Kingdom. To support this rapid growth, operations
were shifted from the offices above the South Street shop, to custom-built
offices and duty paid warehouses – named George House – at Boroughbriggs Road
in 1991.
Family Dream Realised
Alongside an unrivalled
knowledge of Scottish single malts and passion for matching spirit with oak,
the Urquhart family held a long-standing ambition to own a distillery. This
desire became a reality in 1993 with the purchase of the Benromach Distillery
on the outskirts of Forres, just twelve miles from the shop in Elgin. After five
years of careful and deliberate re-equipping, Benromach Distillery was
officially reopened by HRH Prince Charles in 1998.
In 1995, they celebrated
our centenary. One hundred years had been witness to three generations of the
Urquhart family learn and grow the business. The dawn of the new millennium
welcomed the first member of the fourth generation, Stephen Rankin, John
Urquhart’s great grandson. In 2007, brothers David and Michael took over the
reigns as Joint Managing Directors.
Generations Series Launched
On 11 March 2010, Gordon
& MacPhail made history by launching Generations Mortlach 70 Years Old, the
world’s oldest bottled Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Unveiled at an exclusive
event at Edinburgh Castle, the release sparked international media interest,
and all large decanters were either sold or reserved within two weeks by
collectors and whisky enthusiasts worldwide.
On the 08 March 2011,
Gordon & MacPhail released the 2nd in the Generations series, Glenlivet
1940 70 Years Old.
On 20 September 2012,
Gordon & MacPhail released Generations Glenlivet 1940 70 Years Old (Release
2), the second and final release from cask 339.
On 02 September 2015, Gordon & MacPhail released the next in the Generations range, Mortlach 75 Years Old. The curtain was raised on what is believed to be the world’s most exclusive single malt Scotch whisky.
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ANOTHER SPEYSIDE DISTILLERY TO ADD TO THE FLOCK
FROM HARVEY’S SCOTCH TO THE SPEY BRAND
Speyside Distillery is a small, hand-built, artisan distillery nestled amongst the foothills of the beautiful Cairngorm Mountains, still hand distilling in time-honoured traditions and widely acknowledged to be amongst the prettiest of all Scotland’s distilleries. Originally a barley mill and croft dating back to the 1700's, it closed in 1965 and over the next 25 years it was slowly and lovingly converted into a single malt distillery, which then started producing spirit on Christmas Day in 1990.
The distillery draws it’s
water from the Spey River tributary -The River Tromie still using the old mill
lade, which originally ran the waterwheel that powered the old mill. The
distillery itself was hand-built by a stone mason Alex Fairlie and the full
production is housed under one roof. It is often referred to as the Tromie Mills Distillery.
The distillery is also
known as ‘Lagganmore’ from BBC TV’s ‘Monarch of the Glen’ series. The small
boutique distillery is nurtured by an experienced team of highly skilled
craftsmen dedicated to crafting the highest quality spirit in each and every
single drop. The whisky thus created is a light, delicate and interestingly characterful
single malt Scotch whisky.
Highly regarded as being
amongst the smoothest and most approachable of all the malts in the Speyside
region, SPEY from Speyside Distillery is a multi-faceted dram which offers the
malt drinker a range of ages and styles to suit different times of the day, or
indeed, seasons of the year. Each release has had an additional period of
maturation in specially selected casks to add complexity and texture to the
whisky.
SPEY Chairman’s Choice
The Chairman of the
company, on Christmas Day, selects the first batch of whisky to be used only by
the family, the annual tradition of SPEY Chairman's Choice. John and Robert Harvey started the business in 1770 and on Christmas Day 1787, John, the Chairman of the company personally selected the whisky (by then 17 years old-I'm sorry, I cannot accept this claim! In fact, I contest it.) to be used only by family. John Harvey called this exclusive and secret family whisky, Spey "Chairman's Choice".In 1856, Chairman
Harvey finalised the “Harvey’s codex” – which was designed as a family only
known recipe for exactly how the whisky was malted and distilled, how the
Highland water was chosen as well as the critical wood / casks selection to be
used for the maturing of SPEY and also the Harvey’s brand of Scotch whisky.
They had a rough time
staying afloat, till the 1920’s US Prohibition Era years when Alec Harvey (9th
generation), storing and exporting the whisky from North East England,
developed a lucrative business in Chicago and New York in the USA. The focus
that Harvey’s put onto the quality of the whisky and the bottle presentation paid
excellent dividends.
Their Classics:
· SPEY Chairman’s Choice, selected this year by Chairman John McDonough.
· SPEY Royal Choice, produced exclusively under licence from Historic Royal Palaces.
· The Latin Collection: SPEY TRUTINA, TENNÉ & FUMARÉ.
· SPEY Limited Editions.
· SPEY Single Malt, a luxury, high-quality award winning single malt.
· BEINN DUBH Single Malt: The Black Mountain Legend. The local BEINN DUBH Ruby Black Single Malt Scotch Whisky, itself potent and mysterious, uses water from the Cairngorm Black Mountain and is finished in toasted ruby port casks from Portugal.
UPDATE ON SPEYSIDE DISTILLERS
GLASGOW
WHISKY STEPS IN & SPEYSIDE DISTILLERS TO RELOCATE
Until the current lease
expires in spring 2025, Speyside Distillers will continue to produce there. They then want to move the production of The Spey into a new distillery, which is to be built in the Speyside. Details on the location and size of the planned distillery are not yet known.
Glasgow Whisky began life
in 2007, when Graham Taylor and Stuart Hendry launched the company. With over
seventy years service in the industry between them, they have been able to put their
combined experience to good use in building and developing the company and in
2015 they were joined by Rory Taylor, the first of the next generation.
From day one, they have
built the company on an ethos of heritage, quality, consistency and a passion
for the Whisky they produce and ship around the world. Glasgow Whisky blends
the guarantee of quality into all aspects of their business and this is
something which customers, suppliers and competitors all recognise.
They produce numerous brands of Scotch, Blended Scotch, Blended and Single Malts. The Blended Scotch range comprises of Highland Cup,Highland Cup 12 Year Old,Strathallan, Strathallan 12 Year Old, Kelvin Bridge, Scottish Friend and the Auld Gate.They are all bottled at the production facilities of RUE Minsk Kristall, in Minsk, the capital city of the Republic of Belarus.
The Single Malt range is
diversified. In their Speymhor range, they have the Speymhor NAS listed as a 3
YO, the Speymhor 12 YO, the lightly peated Speymhor 15 YO, the Speymhor 21 YO,
the 28 YO Speymhor Blended Malt and the Speymhor 30 YO Single Malt.
In the Munros Single Malt Range, they have their edition of Ben Nevis 22 YO, Glen Grant 23 YO, Braes of Glenlivet 24 YO, Glentauchers 23 YO, Glenallachie 14 YO, Glen Keith 24 YO and The Munros 1989 Macallan.
BURN
O’BENNIE DISTILLERY, BANCHORY, ABERDEENSHIRE
RELOCATED FROM ROYAL DEESIDE
Burn o’ Bennie Distillery was born from the heritage and traditions of Royal Deeside at the hands of Owners Mike Bain and Liam Pennycook. They strive to create limited edition, premium cask whiskies that honour our home and pay homage to Scotland’s national drink, using the finest local ingredients and the best casks available. They are seeking crowdfunding.
Whisky is the lifeblood of
the community, a bringing together of the like-minded. They want the public to
join the journey as one of Scotland’s few independent distilleries leading the
uprising of small-batch, innovative cask whiskies.
From Deeside to Burn o’ Bennie
For 200 years, Royal
Deeside had only one whisky distillery in operation. Unlike other regions of
Scotland where whisky production was rife, the area had seen no new
distilleries open their doors, despite having the ingredients, water, and
provenance to make great whisky in abundance. So in 2017, Deeside Distillery
was born - the first distillery in 200 years and the owners’ first foray into
whisky.
Whilst operating under the
name Deeside Distillery, they spent over two years exploring a variety of malt
recipes and wood types, experimenting with octaves and quarter casks, wood
contact, and accelerated aging techniques, to gain an insight into how the
whisky would mature in 250L casks at ten years and beyond. In 2019 they laid
down 100 casks, 88 of which sold quickly as private investment pieces. The
years of trials and this inaugural cask production enabled them to hit the
ground running at Burn o’Bennie and produce an exceptional and unique whisky
from the outset.
The provenance and terroir
of the region provide all that is needed to create exceptional whisky. It is
this connection between land and whisky that allows head distiller Liam
Pennycook and his team to source malts, water, and wood from the surrounding
area. Blessed with an abundance of water in Royal Deeside for only a limited
amount of small-batch whisky. The distillery uses waters from the ancient
springs of the Pannanich Wells, one of the purest and healthiest mineral waters
in the world. This gift from nature spends 50 years being gently filtered
through layers of underground rock and miles of crevices before it becomes the
bloodline upon which the whisky is born. When developing Burn o’Bennie whisky, the
distilling team used their innovation and intuition to experiment with a
variety of grain bills in pursuit of an exceptional combination.
THE
BONNINGTON DISTILLERY
CONTINUING THE CRABBIE SPIRIT
Bonnington is a multi million pound distillery in heart of Edinburgh and the first single malt distillery in Leith for nearly 100 years. Commissioned December 2019, it began production in March 2020 – with an estimated 2200 casks per year. The distillery has unique twin linked receivers which allows the distillers the ability to create two spirits types from the same distillation.
- Water source – ancient aquifer 147m under the distillery
- 2 x 30 tonne grain silos
- Malted barely used per mash 2 tonnes
- Mash Tun – 2.5 tonnes
- Fermentation vessels – 6 x 10,000 litres
- Wort fermentation- at least 48 hours
- Bespoke squat neck stills from Speyside Copper in Keith
- Wash still 10,000 litres
- Spirit still 8,000 litres
The Re-launch
Crabbie Whisky, one of
Scotland’s most enduring and celebrated whisky brands, has launched a range of
superior single malt Scotch whiskies, reflective of its founder’s passion for
producing only the finest spirits. After decades, the brand is celebrating its
relaunch into the Scotch Whisky industry.
Their range of whiskies is:
Yardhead Single Malt Scotch Whisky: Named after the site in Leith, Edinburgh, where John Crabbie’s original distillery was located, Yardhead is a single malt whisky designed for mixing as well as sipping. Exclusively bottled from first fill bourbon casks creates a versitile flavour profile – perfect for highballs and modern whisky
cocktails.
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Prior to these, there were 2 x 30 YO cask strength Speyside single malt and one 28 YO, also at cask strength.
TREND-SETTING LEITH DISTILLERY UNDER CONSTRUCTION
DISTILLERY TO GO VERTICAL
R&B Distillers
HANDCRAFTED WHISKIES OF UNCOMMON PROVENANCE
Raasay
and Borders : two unique whisky landscapes. R&B
Distillers:one company with
a unique approach to distilling
and blending.
R&B Distillers History
Alasdair
Day’s background was in cheese and mushroom production, rather than whisky. However
Day’s family had a connection to Scotch dating back to 1895.
One
recipe for a particular blend – The Tweeddale – caught Alasdair’s eye and in
2009 he purchased nine casks from the same nine distilleries listed in his
great grandfather’s book to recreate the recipe exactly. Stonedean Ltd. was
registered as the trading company and The Tweeddale blend exported in small
batches around the world.
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IMPENDING RELEASE OF SIGNATURE ISLE OF RAASAY SINGLE MALT
The first Raasay Signature Edition is to be launched soon and the demand is expectedly high. The distillery is, therefore, offering an opportunity to secure the right to purchase a bottle to 3,000 members of its Slainte Club.
Acquisition Via Two Ballots
Any member of the distillery's whisky club (membership is free) can enter a ballot: Ballot 1 offers the opportunity to purchase one of 2,500 bottles of Isle of Raasay Single Malt for £48, while Ballot 2 offers the opportunity to participate in the launch event on June 4, 2021 with distillery founder Alasdair Day and whisky author Dave Broom. 500 tickets are available at £140 apiece. Besides the ticket to participate in the whisky tasting, a bottle of Raasay Single Malt is included as well as a sample package with six samples for the deconstruction tasting.
Deconstruction Tasting On 04 June
A deconstruction tasting of the Raasay Single Malt Whisky is interesting since the distillery builds its malts on a six cask recipe. Both the peated and the unpeated Raasay malt are matured in ex-rye whiskey casks, chinkapin oak casks and ex-Bordeaux red wine casks. The Raasay Single Malt is batched from all 6 casks and has a slightly smoky, complex character. Those who miss out on the ballot have a chance to buy a bottle in the distillery shop or at one of the dealers in various export countries, while stock lasts. 23,000 bottles will be available on the market. Register for the ballots here on the Raasay Distillery website. The deadline for registration for Ballot 2 is 12 May. The website provides more info about the Slainte Whisky Club and how to join it.
A DISTILLERY IN THE SPIRIT OF THE REIVERS
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The ruins of Caisteal Chamuis, also known as Knock Castle or Castle Camus, lie on the headland on the eastern flank of Knock Bay on the Isle of Skye, in sight of the grounds of The Distillery At Torabhaig. The stone to build the steading that would in turn become Torabhaig were originally taken from the by then derelict castle.
This classic Island style Blended Malt Whisky is a tribute to Hebridean life and lore, and reminds us of a time of peat fires, lively company, and bold spirits. It is a characterful whisky, carefully blended and double barrelled in Mossburn casks to balance the heavy island peat – accessible for those curious to explore the Island style.
TORABHAIG 2017 LEGACY INAUGURAL RELEASE
Torabhaig’s first release is a big, peaty, punchy, oily and rich distillate that belongs to the Isle of Skye. For too long, Islay has claimed all things peat. According to the label, it is bottled at 46% strength and is made with concerto malted barley with a ppm of 50-60, fermented with Pinnacle MG+ yeast and aged in only 1st fill bourbon barrels. Untouched by E150A or chill-filtration, the phenols level is 16ppm when bottled.
Colour: a light tan.
Nose: apple pie, candy floss and some sea salt. Quite a youthful character. It’s nicely balanced with the coastal characteristics mingling well with the peat. Some zest, lime peel and bacon fat. Also pine needles and a spent bonfire. Just enough detail. Adding water reveals more apples and some pears with peaches also noticeable.
Palate: oily, candied lemon, cask char and toasted black peppercorns. Liquorice, grapefruit, green jelly, brine and toffee. More of that coastal brine.
Finish: the peat comes through with some salt. Adding water brings out dried reeds, bacon and smoke. Billows around the palate for an extraordinary amount of time.
Conclusions: A well-sculpted and delivered debut. For Torabhaig, this starts the ball rolling. Peat can cover up a multitude of sins in young whiskies. Here it’s an accompaniment to an assured debut. For such a young whisky, there’s enough to keep you engaged and motivated to follow their journey. But as a peated whisky per se in the market, it is still very young and below par.
PARENTING ARDROSS DISTILLERY
Greenwood Distillers has revealed details of its inaugural spirits range, which will be produced at the new £18 million (US$23m) Ardross Distillery in the Scottish Highlands. The construction of the whisky and gin distillery has begun at Ardross in the Averon Valley, near Inverness. Carving an impressive silhouette in the Northern Highlands, the newly constructed Ardross Distillery will open in 2019, to begin distilling Scotch and Gin.
Situated at Ardross Mains Farm, Ardross distillery will be capable of producing up to 1m litres of spirit a year once operational. The distillery will encompass the 50-acre site, retaining the farm’s 19th-century steading buildings, farmhouse and cottages, while stone and slate from dilapidated buildings will be recovered as building materials.
While two large copper stills were transported to Ardross, the founders travelled to France — to the Gascon countryside — hoping to find and negotiate much lauded and long forgotten Armagnac rare stocks. Next, they travelled to Japan to bring back Mizunara casks. Ardross’ distilling equipment is expected to be delivered in early 2018, with production commencing in the summer. Detailed plans, along with full design specs, were approved by Highland Council in February in 2017. (The Highland Council approved plans for an old farm site to be transformed into a Scotch whisky distillery and tasting room, to be called The Ardross Distillery).
The distillery is said to be one of the few distilleries in Scotland to own and manage its own loch. Its initial spirits will be launched in 2019. Whisky will follow, as required by the time rules of the SWA. Ardross distillery will first launch its Greenwood Bond experimental and limited edition single malt and blended Scotch whiskies, of which the first, Mrs Black, is already in the pipeline.
Greenwood Distillers has released its inaugural limited edition product – Theodore Gin, which was inspired by an ancient Scottish tribe. Whisky, of course, takes infinitely more time to mature and reach a state after three years when it can be released. All future releases will be from Ardross.
The philosophy at Greenwood Distillers is all about embracing a healthy debate. At Ardross, classically trained distillers & master blenders come together with a restless team of untrained dreamers and impetuous doers. The old and young rarely agree — except when it comes to quality. They do not compromise on quality.
Greenwood Distillers founder Barthelemy Brosseau said: “Greenwood Distillers was founded to fulfil a desire to create a global network of distilleries linked by a common respect for spirits and local traditions, but driven by an explorative mindset.”
He shares the vision of company founders Martin McAdam and Alan Baker and notes that they have already built a strong team around them, their chairman Willie Phillips and their whisky maker Max McFarlane, for instance, and hopes to craft the finest quality single malt whisky based on the extraordinary location of the Ardgowan Estate and the unusual microclimate of the Inverkip area.
