History of GlenAllachie Speyside, Glenfarclas Highland,
Springbank Campbelton, and Lagavulin Islay
– GlenAllachie Distillery – Speyside
The GlenAllachie is an independently-owned Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky distillery. It is located a mile or so south of the town of Aberlour and the River Spey itself.
A wide range of Single Malts is produced. The GlenAllachie is also home to the Macnair’s and White Heather brands.
GlenAllachie History
The distillery was built by Mackinlay McPherson, the distilling arm of Scottish and Newcastle. It was designed to be almost entirely gravity-fed to reduce energy consumption.
The first production run took place in 1968 with a volume of 3 million liters of alcohol from two stills. Another pair of stills were added after six months. In 1985, however, Mackinlay McPherson became part of Invergordon and the distillery was mothballed.
Campbell Distillers (later part of Pernod Ricard) acquired the property in 1989. Production recommenced under the Home of Clan Campbell brand, though Chivas Brothers bottled a 15-year-old GlenAllachie from casks distilled in the same year.
Since 2017 The GlenAllachie has been owned a trio of industry figures; Master Distiller Billy Walker, Trish Savage and Graham Stevenson. They acquired a huge amount of aged stocks dating back to the 1970s.
– Glenfarclas Distillery – Highlands
Glenfarclas is a well-known single malt whisky distillery in the famous Speyside region. It has been in the hands of the Grant family since 1865, making it one of the oldest family-owned distillers in Scotland.
The distillery is known for its consistent quality through the range and its depth of stock of older barrels. It is also closely associated with maturation in Sherry casks. Overall Glenfarclas whiskies sit at the more sherried end of the Speyside spectrum though some expressions are more overt than others in this regard.
The malt produced at Glenfarclas has historically been part of several blends, including Johnnie Walker and Dewar’s, but is best known now as a single malt. It is available in a wide range of age statements from 10 to 40 years old.
Glenfarclas History
Originally founded in 1836, the distillery was purchased by bull breeder John Grant in 1865 because he wanted the land around the building. Initially he leased the distillery out but, after five years, decided to run it himself in partnership with his son George. They were so successful that whisky overtook cattle as the family business.
John died in 1889, his son just a year later. The grandsons (also John and George) took over as whisky boomed in th 1890s. An ill-fated business partnership nearly ruined the company, but George was able to hand over the business to the fourth generation George Scott Grant. The latter ran the business from 1950 to his death in 2002. He brought in the policy of laying down extra stocks, selling less whisky to blenders than before. John L.S Grant took over as Chairman, introducing the Family Casks series.
– Springbank Distillery and Longrow – Campbeltown
Springbank is one of three remaining distilleries in the Campbeltown region on the Kintyre Peninsula of southwest Scotland. It produces single malt whisky under three different labels in distinct styles; Springbank, Longrow and Hazelburn.
In addition Springbank’s parent company JA Mitchell & Sons also re-opened the Glengyle distillery in 2004, and single malts are being produced under the Kilkerran brand. The independent bottler Cadenhead’s is also part of the group.
Springbank History
Springbank was established in 1828 by Archibald and Hugh Mitchell, becoming the 14th licensed distillery in Campeltown. Today, it is the oldest independent and family-owned distillery in Scotland.
The distillery is the only one in Scotland to carry out all of its production on-site, including the bottling process as well as the traditional floor malting of barley. This control of processes helps the distillery to manage three distinct styles, all of which are influenced by oak choice and the local climate.
The Springbank releases use a mix of peat-dried and air-dried malts and is distilled two and a half times, compared with three times for Hazelburn and twice for Longmorn.
Hazelburn, bottled since 2005, is triple-distilled using air-dried malt only and is available in 10- and 12-year-old versions. The name references another Campbeltown distillery, formerly the largest in the town, which operated between 1825 and 1925, with Mitchell & Co. as its owners from 1920.
Heavily peated versions are released under the Longrow brand. The first examples were distilled in 1973 as an attempt to prove that Islay-style single malts could be produced on the mainland. The range now includes three expressions; Peated, Red (aged 11 years and finished in Port or red-wine casks) and 18 Year Old.
– Lagavulin Distillery
Lagavulin is a distillery on the southern shore of the Inner Hebridean island of Islay. It is noted for producing a heavily peated single malt whisky with strong iodine overtones. The name is Scots Gaelic for “the hollow by the mill”.
Built in 1816, the distillery is one of three well-known producers along the coast between the villages of Port Ellen and Kildalton, the others being Ardbeg and Laphroaig. Indeed, the rivalry between Lagavulin and Laphroaig spilled over into legal battles in the 19th Century, following allegations that the then-owner had copied the Laphroaig style.
The distillery sources water from the nearby Solum Lochs exclusively and the barley is malted at nearby Port Ellen. The distillery has four stills and it produces several well-regarded expressions across three main series. The “standard” bottling is the 16 year old, which has won several international competitions and is regarded as one of the finest malts available by many critics.
The malt is also available at 12, 21 and 25 years old as well as in a range of ages through the Distillers Edition series. There is also a series released in honor of the local festival, Feis Ile, and expressions finished in Pedro Ximenez casks, which are referred to as Lagavulin PX.
Lagavulin is a powerfully flavoured malt and the house style prompts flavor descriptors like seaweed, brine, iodine, medicine, and tar. It is a major component of the White Horse whisky blend and is owned by Diageo’s United Distillers subsidiary.
