SPIRIT OF THE CLYDE

Blair Bowman on the resurgence of Glasgow's distilleries

Glasgow’s new and emerging whisky distilling scene is vibrant and growing rapidly. For several decades Glasgow’s only operational distillery was Strathclyde, which makes single grain whisky (although Auchentoshan distillery in Clydebank is only 20 minutes outside the city limits). But lo and behold, there are now two new distilleries operating in Glasgow with at least one more planned for the near future.

In 2014, the Glasgow Distillery Company brought back production of single malt to the city for the first time since 1975. Their first single malt release called 1770, named after the founding date of the original Glasgow Distillery Company, made use of the city of Glasgow’s strapline, ‘People Make Glasgow’. So a few very lucky Glaswegians were invited to help nose and taste the first batch, an exercise from which crowdsourced tasting notes were produced.

The highly anticipated first 5,000 bottles sold out in advance of their release with an oversubscribed ballot. Due to anticipated future demand the directors of Glasgow Distillery Company have also announced that the distillery is set to double capacity with two new stills being installed.

Hot on their heels, the newly opened Clydeside Distillery is already a major tourist attraction in Glasgow city centre. The Clydeside Distillery, conceived by whisky industry veteran Tim Morrison of AD Rattray and formerly of Morrison Bowmore, ran their first spirit in November 2017. The distillery is located in the Old Pump House on the banks of the Clyde, a building erected by Morrison’s greatgrandfather in 1887.

Morrison’s original plan was to call his new venture the Glasgow Distillery, but building complications meant that the project was delayed and the Glasgow Distillery Company pipped them to the post and to the name. With a real risk of confusion between the two distilleries, Morrison reluctantly adapted his proposed name.

In the 1960s there were over 40 companies in Glasgow in the whisky distilling, blending or independent bottling business. Only a few of those companies remain but those that do are going strong. Douglas Laing & Company, the famed family-owned independent bottler, have been based in Glasgow for over 70 years and have recently announced plans to build their own £10 million (so-far unnamed) distillery in the Pacific Quay area, near the Glasgow Science Centre and BBC Scotland offices.

In 2013, the Laing brothers, who inherited Douglas Laing & Company from their father, had an amicable split of the business. Fred continued the Douglas Laing & Co business while his brother Stewart created Hunter Laing, a stand-alone independent bottler. Also based in Glasgow, in 2016 Hunter Laing purchased land on Islay to build Islay’s ninth distillery, Ardnahoe, which is nearing completion. With production guided by Jim McEwan, formerly master distiller of Bruichladdich, they are in safe hands.

Glasgow is also home to the headquarters of many of Scotland’s larger whisky companies. Whyte & Mackay, who own single malt brands Dalmore, Jura, Fettercairn, Tamnavulin and Whyte & Mackay blended whisky, are based in St Vincent Street. Beam Suntory, who produce, amongst others, Teacher’s, Laphroaig and Bowmore, are headquartered in Springburn. In early 2017, the Edrington Group, who own single malt brands Macallan, Highland Park and Glenrothes, plus Famous Grouse blend whisky, moved from their historic home at Kinfauns outside Perth to purpose-built offices in Glasgow.

As well as administrative offices and board rooms in Glasgow, a huge amount of bottling takes place in and around Glasgow. Diageo, Chivas Brothers, John Dewar & Sons and William Grant & Sons all have major bottling plants in the area.

But it’s not just about whisky as Glasgow also has a strong historic connection to rum. In 1667, in Candleriggs, the Wester Sugar House Company was established to refine sugar and distil rum. In homage to this a new Scottish Spiced Rum has recently been released called Wester.

It is exciting to see so much distilling and whisky activity in Glasgow, both from a tourist and consumer point of view but also from a commercial and administrative standpoint. The investment in the area is fantastic and sets up the industry for a strong and successful future ahead. The people of Glasgow certainly make Glasgow but they also make, bottle and sell whisky and should be immensely proud of that.

It’s exciting to see so much distilling and whisky activity in Glasgow