Although ‘Glengyle’ is the name of the distillery, it wasn’t used for our whisky, as it had long been trademarked for a Blended Highland Malt. Instead, the name ‘Kilkerran’ was chosen, derived from the town’s original name, ‘Ceann Loch Chille Chiarain.’ Mitchell’s Glengyle Ltd embraced this name as a fitting way to revive a part of Campbeltown’s whisky heritage, honoring the town’s distilling history.
Glengyle Distillery, a historic Campbeltown distillery reimagined in the 21st century, was originally founded in 1872 by William Mitchell, who had previously run Springbank Distillery with his brother John under the leadership of their father, Archibald Mitchell, the founder of Springbank. A dispute between the brothers led William to leave and start Glengyle Distillery.
In 1919, Glengyle was sold to West Highland Malt Distilleries Ltd after the economic challenges of the early 20th century, and production ceased entirely by 1925. Despite its closure, the distillery buildings remained in relatively good condition, as they were used by local clubs and organizations over the decades.
In 2000, Mitchell’s Glengyle Ltd, led by Hedley G Wright, chairman of J&A Mitchell and great-great-nephew of William Mitchell, purchased the distillery. After Mr. Wright’s passing in 2023, his shares were transferred to three local trust funds, ensuring the community would continue benefiting from the company.
Following a four-year restoration to rebuild the distillery and install production equipment, the first spirit was distilled in 2004, leading to the production of Kilkerran Single Malt. Since then, the Kilkerran whisky range has grown steadily.
