Innholdsfortegnelse for Scotch Whisky 4 i Scotch Whisky

The past year has seen two of Scotland’s most celebrated ‘ghost’ distilleries reopen to the public after many years of closure. The Lowland classic Rosebank and the Islay icon that is Port Ellen have both begun receiving visitors, offering a most impressive range of tour options and experiences. Meanwhile, Edinburgh’s whisky offering has been notably augmented by the opening of Port of Leith distillery, and in widely varying parts of the country, Moffat in Dumfriesshire and Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides have also commenced making whisky. A distillery with wood-burning stills and another that looks like a lighthouse. What’s not to like? The past year has seen Whisky Magazine visit ‘new’ distilleries and relative newcomers such as Ardnahoe, Dornoch, Holyrood, and North Point as well as covering old favourites like…

Nose: Strawberries and clotted cream. Vanilla pod, cinder toffee, shortbread, and very rich, oily orange peel notes. Raspberry coulis and meringue. Walnut shells, scone dough, and a little hibiscus. With time, fragrant apple and pear. Palate: Deeper strawberry notes, like cordial. Elderflower, red apple, pear drop, and lemon and lime peels. Buttery digestive biscuits and fig jam. Black pepper, clove, and a hint of allspice. High-cocoa dark chocolate. Hints of polished wood and leather. Delicious fruit and spice from the wine cask. Later come strawberry jam and clotted cream. Finish: Red fruits and pastry dough return with hints of frangipane and fresh mint. Comments: An exquisitely aged single malt that has maintained its fruity vivacity and been further enlivened through its long secondary maturation.…

HIGHLAND RYE 1794 5 Years Old Cask Selection Jamaican Rum Finish 46% ABV ARBIKIE DISTILLERY Nose: Damp wood, orange peel, almonds, and cooked pineapple. Palate: Peppery, with a hint of chilli, oak spice, and brown sugar. Finish: Spicy to the last, with black pepper, cocoa powder, cloves, and lingering sweet tropical fruits. Comments: The rum cask finish sweetens the profile compared with earlier releases and also adds extra complexity. BRUICHLADDICH The Regeneration Project 50% ABV RÉMY COINTREAU Nose: Rich, sweet spice, cereal, sliced red apple, and wood resin. Palate: Pleasingly oily, with allspice, white pepper, hazelnuts, liquorice sticks, and cloves. Finish: Lengthy, drying slightly, but still voluptuous, with lingering subtle pepper and orchard fruits. Comments: A great take on rye, Scottish style. Characterful and extremely drinkable. RYELAW Fife Single Grain…

There is an old boxing adage that heavyweights never come back. Happily, this does not apply to distilling heavyweights, as three of the most highly regarded silent distilleries in Scotland are once again making their presence felt. The distilleries in question are Brora, Port Ellen, and Rosebank: the aficionados’ top three on any wish list for revival. Of these, Brora and Port Ellen were culled as part of owner United Distillers’ 1980s rationalisation programme, while Rosebank — located beside the Forth and Clyde Canal at Camelon, on the outskirts of Falkirk — lasted in the same ownership until falling silent in 1993. The late Michael Jackson described Rosebank as “the finest example of a Lowland malt” and considered its demise “a grievous loss”. But spirit is once again flowing through…

The latter half of the 20th century was a challenging time for Scotch. The drink’s fortunes waned in the late 1970s, and as a result 20 whisky distilleries closed their gates across Scotland in the early 1980s, with seven more closing in the early 1990s. By contrast, there were just two new whisky distillery openings in this time. During this downturn, the Scotch business was driven almost wholly by blends such as Bell’s, Teacher’s, and Johnnie Walker, with single malt only starting to make its way into bottle and onto the shelf. As the thirst for single malt grew towards the end of the last century and into this, the liquid legacy left behind by some of the closed distilleries started to become highly prized by drinkers and collectors alike.…

On a rainy afternoon a few months ago, the staff office at Tormore Distillery was in an uproar. Distillery manager Polly Logan and assistant manager Sam Douglas were hunting everywhere for a small handheld pump to help them move liquid used for samples. “We don’t know what it’s actually called,” says Logan, “so we’re going with the technical term ‘whisky sooker-ooper’ because that’s what it does, it sooks the whisky oop.” “We’re trying to describe what we need to the team,” Douglas laughed. “But even when we use Google, we can’t figure out what this thing is called.” Logan and Douglas have been in charge of making Tormore’s new spirit since January 2023, when the distillery’s new owner, Elixir Distillers, officially received the keys to the facility from Pernod Ricard,…

GENERAL INFORMATION Distillery Name: Holyrood Distillery Parent company: Independently owned Address: 19 St Leonards Lane, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH8 9SH Years of operation: September 2019–present Open to the public: Yes — open seven days a week for tours, taking online and walk-in bookings TEAM & OUTPUT Distillery manager name: Calum Rae Production team size: Six people, full time Maximum annual capacity: 250,000lpa Present working capacity: 228,000lpa Operation time: Monday–Friday, 7am–8pm Automation: Limited automation, mostly manual WATER Water source: Mains CEREALS Cereal varieties: Spring barley Laureate, Islay peated, Highland peated Heritage malts: Plumage Archer, Hana, Chevalier, Golden Promise, Maris Otter Specialty malts: Chocolate, crystal (150 Light; 240 Medium; 400 Dark), brown, Vienna, black, biscuit, light and dark Munich, amber, caramalt, cara gold, dextrin, chit Cereal preparation: Provided in milled 25kg bags from…

The ‘Singleton’ name was first used in the 1980s, in relation to Auchroisk Distillery. It is now applied to Diageo’s Glen Ord for markets in the Far East, Glendullan for the US and Canada, and Dufftown for Europe. Both the Glendullan and Dufftown distilleries are located in Dufftown, the ‘malt whisky capital’ of Speyside. Singleton whiskies are classified by Diageo as ‘recruitment malts’ intended to appeal to the less experienced whisky drinker. Despite sharing a name, the expressions vary significantly in flavour profile, as a Diageo spokesperson explained: “It’s hard to imagine summarising whiskies from three distinct distilleries. Where would you begin: the nutty cereal notes of Dufftown’s palate, the fresh orchard fruits of Glendullan, or Glen Ord’s dark berries? All perfectly balanced, rich and smooth to the finish. Crafted…

GENERAL INFORMATION Distillery name: Ardnahoe Distillery Parent company: Hunter Laing Address: Port Askaig, Isle of Islay Years of operation: 2018–present Open to the public: Yes TEAM & OUTPUT Distillery manager name: David Livingstone Production team size: Nine, full time Maximum annual capacity: 1,000,000lpa Present working capacity: 650,000lpa Operation time: 24 hours, seven days per week Automation: Some automation on site but all processess manually operated WATER Water source: Ardnahoe Loch CEREALS & MASHING Cereal varieties: Laureate malted barley Average ppm of malt: 40ppm Peat source: Islay peat Mill type: Boby mill Mash tun type: Semi-lauter Batch size: 2.75 tonnes Wort clarity: Clear Mashes per week: 14 FERMENTATION Wash charge volume: 25,000 litres Temperature control: No Switchers: No Duration: 70 hours Yeast source: AB Mauri Yeast varieties: MG+ DISTILLATION Still fabricator:…

The words ‘passion’ and ‘enthusiasm’ are thrown around a lot in the origin stories of whisky makers, but it would be hard to find two people more passionate and enthusiastic about the craft than Ian Stirling and Paddy Fletcher, founders of the newly opened Port of Leith Distillery. The lifelong friends grew up in Edinburgh and moved to London in their 20s, Fletcher to pursue a career in finance and Stirling entering the wine trade. But they had brought one clear vestige of their Scotch upbringing with them. “All the while we were getting more and more into whisky,” Stirling says, “buying a bottle for the house and drinking it together, then going to tastings, and then eventually experimenting with whisky production in our back garden.” (Their neighbour guessed they…

GENERAL INFORMATION Distillery name: North Point Distillery Parent company: North Coast Distillers Address: Forss Business and Energy Park, Thurso, Scotland, KW14 7UZ Years of operation: 2020–present Open to the public: Yes TEAM & OUTPUT Founders: Alex MacDonald, Struan Mackie Head distiller: Greg Benson Distillery manager name: Heather Ricker Production team size: 14 full-time Maximum annual capacity: 32,000lpa Present working capacity: 20,000lpa Operation time: Five days per week Automation: No automation WATER Water source: Loch Calder CEREALS & MASHING Cereal varieties: Maris Otter Cereal preparation: Crisp Malt Average ppm of malt: 0 Peat source: N/A Mill type: N/A Mash tun type: Semi-lauter Batch size: 0.4 tonnes Wort clarity: Semi-cloudy Mashes per week: Five to six FERMENTATION Washbacks/fermenters: Six washbacks Wash charge volume: 4 x 2,000 litres, 2 x 1,200 litres Temperature…

The old and new tend to arrive hand in hand when it comes to Scotch whisky. The past is always present, through casks laid down one, five, 25 years ago. ‘New’ Scotches are released which have existed for years, or decades, under a distillery team’s watchful eye. Young distilleries are built on the foundations of hundreds of years of distilling history, offering a platform for experimentation. The tension between old and new provides a lively playground for whisky makers, as the vibrant field of Scotch releases attests. In these pages, our tasters explore the breadth of Scotch whisky’s diverse offering, from inaugural bottlings by new single malt producers, to old blends from big-name brands, to expressions from distilleries celebrating two centuries this year. Read on for a snapshot of the…

8 DOORS DISTILLERY  874 Club John O' Groats, Caithness-shire, KW1 4YR www.8doorsdistillery.com  AD RATTRAY  Casks of Scotland  Stronachie Kirkoswald, Ayrshire, KA19 8HY www.adrattray.com ABERARGIE DISTILLERY Aberargie, Perthshire, PH2 9LX www.morrisondistillers.com ABERKO  Black Top  Deerstalker Milngavie, Dunbartonshire, G62 8AJ www.aberko.com ABERLOUR DISTILLERY  Aberlour Aberlour, Moray, AB38 9PJ www.aberlour.com ABHAINN DEARG DISTILLERY  Abhainn Dearg Carnish, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9EX www.abhainndeargdistillery.co.uk ADELPHI DISTILLERY  Adelphi Selection Charlestown, Fife, KY11 3DR AILSA BAY DISTILLERY  Ailsa Bay Girvan, Ayrshire, KA26 9PT ALLT-A-BHAINNE DISTILLERY  Allt-A-Bhainne Glenrinnes, Moray, AB55 4DI www.allt-a-bhainne.com ANNANDALE DISTILLERY  Man O'Sword  Man O'Words Annan, Dumfriesshire, DG12 5LL www.annandaledistillery.com ARBIKIE HIGHLAND ESTATE DISTILLERY  Arbikie Lunan, Montrose, Angus, DD10 9TR www.arbikie.com ARDBEG DISTILLERY  Ardbeg Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, PA42 7EA www.ardbeg.com ARDMORE DISTILLERY  Ardmore  Teacher’s Kennethmont, Huntly, Aberdeenshire, AB54 4NH www.ardmorewhisky.com ARDNAMURCHAN DISTILLERY  Ardnamurchan…

GENERAL INFORMATION Distillery name: Port Ellen Distillery Parent company: Diageo Address: Kiln Square, Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, Scotland, PA42 7AF Years of operation: Established 1825, closed 1930–1967, open 1967–1983, closed 1983–2024, opened again 2024 Open to the public: Yes, on open days, otherwise by appointment only TEAM & OUTPUT Distillery manager name: Alexander (Ali) McDonald Production team size: Eight full time Maximum annual capacity: Approximately 1.6 million lpa Operation time: 24 hours, seven days per week Automation: Semi-automated WATER Water source: Leorin Lochs CEREALS & MASHING Cereal varieties: Currently getting peated malted barley from the maltings; currently processing Laureate barley Cereal preparation: All malt currently coming from Port Ellen maltings; three-stage maltings (steepings, germination, kilning), but the germination is done via rotating drums rather than traditional floor maltings Average…

GENERAL INFORMATION Distillery name: Tormore Distillery Parent company: Elixir Distillers Address: Richardson Road, Grantown-on-Spey, Scotland, PH26 3LR Years of operation: 1959–present day Open to the public: No TEAM & OUTPUT Distillery manager name: Polly Logan Production team size: 10 people, full time Maximum annual capacity: 5 million lpa Present working capacity: 3.4 million lpa Operation time: 24 hours, five days per week Automation: Yes WATER Water source: Allt An Torra Mhoir CEREALS & MASHING Cereal varieties: Laureate, Diablo, Concerto, Sassy Cereal preparation: Simpsons, Bairds Average ppm of malt: N/A Peat source: N/A Mill type: Porteous roller mill Mash tun type: Full lauter Batch size: 10.4 tonnes Wort clarity: Clear Mashes per week: 18 FERMENTATION Washbacks/Fermenters: 11 x stainless steel Wash charge volume: Not disclosed Temperature control: No Switchers: Yes Duration:…

Glen Ord is the second-largest malt distillery in Diageo’s portfolio, and now home to an impressively reimagined visitor centre. But if you try to buy the single malt it produces away from its place of origin, you are almost certain to be disappointed — ‘Singleton of Glen Ord’, as it is known, is exclusive to Asian markets and the distillery is its only retail outlet in Europe. All the more reason, then, to take a trip to the fertile farmland around the village of Muir of Ord, some 15 miles north-west of Inverness, where the Glen Ord Distillery is located. Single malt from Glen Ord has been marketed under a variety of names during its lengthy history, including Glenordie, Ordie, Ord, and Muir of Ord. Ultimately, however, in 2006, Diageo…

For any artist or producer, unveiling your first creation to the world can be a nerve-wracking moment. Finally, there is a physical manifestation of the time, effort, and energy you have expended in the pursuit of something to represent your vision and views. It is ready to make its transition from the private to the public sphere — but are you ready to let it go? Allowing it out into the wild, and into the path of other people’s assessment and critique, is enough to shake even the steeliest of resolves. The team from independent Scotch whisky bottler Hunter Laing & Co found themselves on this precipice recently as they unveiled the inaugural single malt whisky from their Ardnahoe Distillery on Islay. The excitement was palpable, but so were the…

Hopefully they have forgiven me, but I had to ask Phil and Simon Thompson what their favourite whisky is. It’s a horrible question to ask, not just because it is such a cliché but because it is generally impossible for the discerning whisky drinker to answer. And yet, this question is central to understanding Dornoch Distillery. Founded just over seven years ago, the tiny distillery is a tool in the Thompson brothers’ mission to produce a homage to their favourite single malts. Old-fashioned production principles such as heritage barley varieties and brewer’s yeast are at the core of their philosophy. The Thompsons did not — or maybe could not — give a clear-cut answer, but it was telling that Phil scurried to grab a bottle of 1920s Dalmore bottled in…

GENERAL INFORMATION Distillery name: Port of Leith Distillery Parent company: Muckle Brig Address: 11 Whisky Quay, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH6 6FH Years of operation: October 2023–present Open to the public: Yes TEAM & OUTPUT Distillery manager: Vaibhav Sood Production team size: Seven to nine full time (TBC), based on maximum capacity Maximum annual capacity: 400,000lpa Present working capacity: Initially 200,000lpa when commissioning complete, moving to 400,000lpa when second shift fully trained Operation time: Two shifts, seven days a week Automation: Semi-automated — automation is used throughout for practial and safety reasons, but distiller input is also required WATER Water source: Combination of borehole and mains supply CEREALS & MASHING Cereal varieties: Laureate from Upper Bolton Farm, East Lothian Cereal preparation: Crisp Malt Alloa Average ppm of malt: N/A Peat source: N/A…

Situated on the edge of Hyde Park, in London’s monied and historic Belgravia neighbourhood, the Peninsula Hotel cuts an imposing figure. The opulent nine-storey structure was completed in 2023, and boasts 190 rooms, a ballroom, private cinema, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, and a rooftop terrace with panoramic city views. The design scheme is inspired by the ‘craftmanship’ in classic British aviation and motorsport. It is a fitting place to talk about something grand — in this case, the newest addition to Glenfiddich’s Grand Series. Malt master Brian Kinsman is a little late for our meeting in the hotel’s Brooklands bar; he has been conducting tastings with staff (Glenfiddich expressions on offer include the 40 Years Old Cumulative Time, from 2022’s Time Re:Imagined series, and the Archive Collection 49 Years Old 1973,…

https://www.rothesglen.com/ Your stay includes • All food including daily breakfast, Afternoon tea, two-course lunch and three and four course candlelit dinners.• All drinks including welcome dram on arrival, evening Champagne/cocktail receptions, dinner, tasting and in-room whisky.• All trips and visits as listed, piper, photography and evening entertainment.• All transport from and to Aviemore, Inverness or Aberdeen Airport and during your stay within the area.• Rothes Glen gifts including the Rothes Glen book, postcards, pair of Glencairn glasses, Walkers shortbread and in-room Editor’s Blend whisky. A three night all-inclusive whisky and fine dining experience in the heart of Speyside Dress code The dress code is informal during the day and smart casual for dinner. We have boots, coats, jackets, hats and gloves for all, however do bring your own if you…

GENERAL INFORMATION Distillery name: Rosebank Distillery Parent company: Ian Macleod Distillers Address: Camelon Road, Falkirk, FK1 5JR Years of operation: 1840–1917, 1919–1993, 2023–present day Open to the public: Yes TEAM & OUTPUT Distillery manager name: Malcolm Rennie Production team size: Five operators, full time Maximum annual capacity: 1,000,000lpa Present working capacity: 1,000,000lpa Operation time: 24 hours, seven days per week Automation: Fully automated SCADA system WATER Water source: Mains water from Carron Reservoir CEREALS & MASHING Cereal varieties: Laureate malted barley, unpeated Cereal preparation: Crisp Maltings, Alloa Average ppm of malt: 0 Peat source: N/A Mill type: Four-roller Boby mill (refurbished original) Mash tun type: Semi lauter Batch size: 3.2 tonnes Wort clarity: Clear Mashes per week: 17 FERMENTATION Washbacks / Fermenters: Eight Douglas fir, 15,000-litre capacity Wash charge volume:…

When hunting for distilleries in Scotland there are often clear signs that one is close by. It could be a pagoda on a roof, a red-brick chimney poking over the brow of a hill, the blackened wall of a warehouse, or the sweet aroma of hot mash in the air, but there is almost always a signal. They rarely sneak up on you. Holyrood Distillery is different. Located in Edinburgh’s Southside, quite literally in the shadow of Auld Reekie’s impressive Salisbury Crags, it blends so well into the urban environment you could easily miss it. This is partly because, unlike many of the new distilleries cropping up in Scotland, it isn’t based in a purpose-built structure. Instead, the innovative distillery is housed in a Category B listed building that at…

The Singleton Distillery Tour £20 per adult According to Diageo, “This tour will take you on a deep dive into the Singleton’s signature ‘slow craft’ process, highlighting why and how our methods result in such a superior malt.” The Singleton Pairing Experience £60 per adult This tour option gives the opportunity to sample five Singleton whiskies alongside a selection of canapés that showcase the produce of the Scottish Highlands, including Singleton smoked salmon and guacamole served in a seaweed cone, smoked duck breast with bramble jam and Scottish crowdie served on crostini, and chocolate and whisky mini tart with passionfruit pearls. The Malt to Cask Experience £250 per adult Diageo declares this to be “the ultimate tour for whisky lovers and those looking for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experience”. The Malt…

Nose: Dark fruits, notably cherry. Dark chocolate and toffee. Porridge with golden syrup, apples stewed with cinnamon, and a gentle undercurrent of smoke. Palate: Peat smoke comes forward — sweet, mossy, more fragrant than typical Islay peat. Milk chocolate fruit and nut bar, lemon shortbread, and rich vanilla. Cherries and bright orchard fruit. Finish: Long, with toffee apple, pear, biscuity notes, and whispers of smoke. Comments: This single malt has a complexity and richness that belie its age, and the bourbon and sherry cask characters are very well balanced.…

GENERAL INFORMATION Distillery name: Dornoch Distillery Parent company: Thompson Independent Traders Address: Dornoch Castle, Castle Street, Dornoch, Scotland, IV25 3SD Years of operation: 2016–present day Open to the public: No TEAM & OUTPUT Distillery manager name: Euan Christie Production team size: Two dedicated, three fully production capable, two partly production capable Maximum annual capacity: 30,000lpa (if like-for-like modern production and double shift) Present working capacity: 12,000lpa (single shift, long fermentations) Operation time: 10 hours per day, six days per week Automation: No WATER Water source: Dornoch mains CEREALS & MASHING Cereal varieties: Maris Otter, Golden Promise, Plumage Archer, Scotch Common, Scotch Annat, Orkney Bere, West Coast Bere, Chevallier, Laureate Cereal preparation: Crafty, Warminster, Simpsons; often floor malted, often organic Average ppm of malt: 0 Peat source: N/A Mill type: Usually…

Imagine the typical attire for the owners of a whisky distillery and many pictures will spring to mind: suits and ties, blazers and slacks, tweed jackets and raspberry cords. While bright orange boilersuits may lie further down the list, these are most likely to be Struan Mackie and Alex MacDonald’s outfits of choice at the moment. The founders are donning their high-vis overalls to oversee the latest expansion of North Point Distillery, perched on the Caithness coast, not far from the most northerly tip of the Scottish mainland. Having won a slew of awards for its gins and rums and sold all 50 casks of its maiden release Dalclagie single malt in just three days, the distillery is increasing its warehousing capacity at Forss, near Thurso. While most distilleries erect…

Single malt has been the great Scotch whisky success story of the 21st century. Its dramatic rise in popularity has been driven largely by marketers, drinks journalists, and influencers, promoting this spirit made exclusively from malted barley as Scotland’s traditional style of whisky. Their view has official support: according to the Scotch Whisky Association’s website, “Until [the 1830s], the spirit — illicit or otherwise — had been malt whisky.” It’s a great story, simply told — but it’s not entirely true. Historically, malt whisky was not Scotland’s only traditional style and, arguably, it was never even the most popular. Mixed grain whisky, pot distilled from a mash containing any of a number of different cereals mixed with malted barley, was the type best known to generations of Scottish drinkers. Grains…