Glenglassaugh Distillery, located just outside the village of Portsoy, presents itself as a traditional setup with an open-topped rake and plough mash tun, wooden washbacks, and two stills. However, its historical evolution is marked by some modern touches, such as the two stainless steel washbacks added during a 1966 refurbishment. The distillery produces a medium-weight […]
Glendronach Distillery is renowned for its big, bold style, often characterized by rich, Sherried whiskies that reflect the traditional and substantial nature of its Victorian-era buildings. The distillery is equipped with a traditional rake and plough mash tun, wooden washbacks, and four stills, which were originally coal-fired until 2005, making it the last distillery in […]
Glencadam Distillery, with nearly 200 years of history, is only in recent years starting to gain recognition as a celebrated single malt. The distillery’s new make spirit is characterized by floral and pear drop notes, a result of its distillation process, which maximizes reflux. The stills at Glencadam feature lyne arms that are angled upwards, […]
Glen Ord Distillery, known for its intense “green grassy” new make aroma, has become a key player in Diageo’s portfolio. The fresh, lawn-like scent of its new make spirit results from a combination of clear wort, long fermentation, high cut points, and copper-rich distillation. The distillery extends the interaction between vapour and copper by keeping […]
Glen Garioch Distillery, located in Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, has a storied history dating back to 1797, though there are claims of it operating even earlier, which would make it the oldest distillery in Scotland if substantiated. The distillery was originally self-sufficient in malt, with its maltings—though no longer in use—once dwarfing the production facility. The traditional […]
Fettercairn Distillery, located at the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains, has a rich history and a distinctive traditional setup. The distillery features an open-topped mash tun, wooden washbacks, and small stills, with soap grinders on the sides of the wash stills used historically to prevent boiling over. The distillery’s style has a firm, heavy, and […]
Edradour Distillery, located in the heart of central Perthshire, offers a quaint, old-world charm, often appearing more like a working museum than a modern distillery. The site features traditional equipment: a one-tonne, open-topped rake and plough mash tun, a replica of an old “Morton’s refrigerator” for cooling wort, wooden washbacks, and tiny stills that lead […]
Dornoch Distillery, situated on the grounds of a former castle in an old fire station, is one of Scotland’s smallest and most experimental distilleries. Founded by brothers Simon and Philip Thompson, Dornoch’s focus is on traditional production methods and unique practices, aiming to revive the essence of 20th-century Scotch whisky distilling. With a production capacity […]
Deeside Distillery, located within Banchory’s Deeside Brewery, is part of Scotland’s new wave of experimental ‘craft’ whisky distilleries. The distillery’s unique position within a brewery is a fitting backdrop for its innovative approach to whisky-making, leveraging the brewers’ expertise in barley roasts and alternative grains like rye and maize. Since opening in 2017, Deeside has […]
Deanston Distillery, though constructed in the late 1960s, has maintained a traditional approach to whisky production, blending old and new techniques. One of the most notable features of its production is the open-topped mash tun, a nod to older methods. Deanston also utilizes low gravity worts, long fermentation, and slow distillation, producing a waxy new […]
