Kinclaith – Few people are aware of the history of whisky making in Glasgow, up until the last few years, Kinclaith was the last single malt distillery in the city. Closing in 1975 it saw the end of single malt production in the city for almost 40 years.
Only in existence for 18 years, Kinclaith produced a Lowland Single Malt that has legendary status. These bottles of Kinclaith are some of the last in the world, a look back in history to another age of whisky-making.
The fragrance of sweet oak notes
Even after 50 years the cask remains active offering seasonal spices of clove and cinnamon with remarkable freshness
It’s a beautifully structured whisky , with the cask and distillate in perfect harmony
The first spirit ran from the stills at Kinclaith in 1957, at the time the last remaining single malt distillery in Glasgow.
Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city has a significant distilling history that many people are unaware of and up until the past few years Kinclaith was the last single malt distillery to have been operating its boundaries.
Located with the Strathclyde Grain Distillery complex on the banks of the River Clyde in the Gorbals region of the city, Kinclaith came into being in 1957 when owner at that time, Seager Evans installed a single pair of pot stills. Sadly, there is very little detail of the specifications of the equipment installed as by 1975 the stills were removed and Kinclaith was no more. Estimated to being producing around 200,000 litres of spirit a year it was small even by the standards of the mid 1970’s. We do know that the water for the distillery came from Loch Katrine to the north of Glasgow which even today supply’s the drinking water for the city.
On site there are no physical signs that Kinclaith even existed beyond a large green and golden metallic sign located near one of the column stills and would have been where the pot stills were located, the site is now solely for the production of new make Grain spirit which finds its way into many of Scotland’s great blended whiskies.
Many people say that after 45-50 years you will see the final stocks from a closed distillery disappear, At Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd we have a few of what may well be the last casks in existence from this legendary distillery, tasting whisky such as this reminds you of the skills and the history that has gone before us, a liquid legacy.
