Clydeside, one of the first malt distilleries built in Glasgow in 40 years, aims to create a whisky inspired by the city’s maritime heritage. Owned by Morrison Glasgow Distillers, the distillery collaborated with consultant Dr. Jim Swan to craft a “light but fruity spirit” that diverges from traditional Lowland malts, opting instead for a spicier Speyside-style profile to honor Glasgow’s historical role in importing tobacco and spices.
Glasgow, once a hub for whisky distilling and bottling with around 40 companies in 1963, saw its whisky industry shrink dramatically by the 21st century. When Glasgow Distillery opened in 2014, it was the first malt distillery in the city since the closure of Kinclaith (1957–1975), a small operation within the Strathclyde grain plant.
The idea for Clydeside was conceived around the same time as Glasgow Distillery by Tim Morrison, owner of AD Rattray and formerly of Morrison Bowmore Distillers. Morrison envisioned a malt distillery at the historic Pump House on the Clyde, built in 1877 by his great-grandfather, John Morrison. Originally designed to provide hydraulic power for the Queen’s Dock bridge, the Pump House became redundant after the dock was filled in during the 1970s and served various purposes, including restaurants and offices, before being acquired by Morrison Glasgow Distillers in 2011.
Initially planned as “Glasgow Distillery,” construction was delayed by challenges related to the dock’s infilling, allowing another distillery under the same name to open in Hillington. Work on the renamed Clydeside distillery finally began on 1 August 2016.
Clydeside’s first distillation took place on 6 November 2017, and its visitor center opened shortly afterward on 23 November.
