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The Distilleries of Scotland
Whisky distilling boasts a rich and vibrant history. In the absence of modern painkillers, whisky served as a go-to remedy for Scots over the centuries.
Whisky distilling boasts a rich and vibrant history. In the absence of modern painkillers, whisky served as a go-to remedy for Scots over the centuries, frequently prescribed by doctors for various ailments. It’s no surprise that whisky translates to ‘the water of life’. This widespread use inevitably caught the eye of successive governments, leading to high taxes. Consequently, during the 18th and early 19th centuries, whisky distilling was largely an illicit activity.
Annandale Distillery, Dumfries and Galloway
We start our journeys around the distilleries of Scotland, appropriately enough, at 'A', with Annandale Distillery, nestled in picturesque hills of Annan. With a history dating back to 1836. Many Scottish distilleries have tales of their whisky being smuggled across hills, evading the excise men. Annan is no exception, with stories of local smugglers being apprehended while attempting to transport whisky across the border to England. A significant change occurred in 1823 with the passing of the Excise Act, which legalized whisky distilling once more. Shortly after this, the Annandale Distillery emerged, operating from around 1830 until just after the First World War, spanning approximately 90 years.
Founded in 1836 by George Donald, Annandale Distillery quickly gained recognition for its exceptional whiskies.
George Donald, an excise officer, was posted to Annan in 1830. His mother, who was still living in Aberdeen, apparently thought George was being sent to the end of the world! George Donald rented the Warmanbie Home Farm from the Mackenzie family, and soon after established the Annandale Distillery Company. Annandale Distillery quickly gained recognition for its exceptional whiskies. However, the distillery's fortunes fluctuated over the years, facing closures and changes in ownership. By 1918, Annandale fell silent, its stills dormant and its legacy seemingly forgotten.
In 2007, Professor David Thomson and Teresa Church embarked on a remarkable journey to revive Annandale Distillery. Driven by their passion for Scotch whisky and a deep respect for its traditions, they meticulously restored the distillery to its former glory. The project involved painstaking research, careful reconstruction, and the installation of state-of-the-art equipment, all while preserving the distillery's historic charm. In 2013, the distillery was re-opened.
Under the stewardship of Professor David Thomson and Teresa Church, Annandale Distillery has been revitalized, producing award-winning single cask single malt Scotch whiskies that capture the essence of its rich heritage. Today, Annandale Distillery produces a range of exceptional single cask single malt Scotch whiskies with two of their most celebrated expressions are Man O'Sword and Man O'Words.
Annandale now has branched out into further attractions, with the Maltings Coffee shop, and also is host to a variety of events, including for example a Carruthers clan gathering taking place at the distillery, which we will be attending in August 2024.
The Scottish Borders' Very Own Whisky Distillery
We now move east, and to 'B' (kind of!) for the distillery based very near to our own HQ, in the Scottish Borders. Hundreds of years ago the Scottish Borders was thriving with whisky distilleries a major contributor to the rural economy and livelihoods of local people, but tax men sent by the English to collect duties forced the distilleries to re-locate to the highlands, a more remote region where whisky production could continue unhindered.
July 2018 saw the grand opening of The Borders Distillery in the historical town of Hawick. A very exciting development as there has not been a whisky distillery in the Scottish Borders since 1837.
The Borders Distillery is owned by The Three Stills Company (TTSC), founded in 2013 and made up of four men who previously worked as executives for William Grant & Sons. The company feel strongly about supporting the local economy and respecting the history of the historic town of Hawick, and this is very apparent from the way the building has been restored to the links with the local high school to bring in young people. The distillery originally set out to create 19 new jobs, bring tourism to the local area through the distillery tours, and as they only use barley grown in the Scottish Borders within a 30 mile radius this is a truly local affair. With a tasting area, and super smart bar upstairs visitors can enjoy a dram in comfort after their tour to learn all about the production process. Every member of staff at the distillery takes their turn to deliver tours adding another different element to their day and allowing them to share their passion and knowledge of the process. John's passion for bringing young people into the business and giving everyone the opportunity to train to be fully fledged distillers was evident and it was good to see a mix of male and female staff in what is traditionally a male dominated profession.
We thoroughly enjoyed learning about Mashing (where the starch is broken down into fermentable sugars), then Wort (the beige-coloured sugary liquid). A cloudy wort containing husks and flour from the barley gives you a malty, nutty and spicy spirit whereas a clear wort gives you spirit with less cereal character. There was a lot of temperature taking and the smell made me want to have a drink, but this is a slow process so we must be patient. It is ironic that this old building was previously owned by five Irishmen and home to the Hawick Temperance Society and today it is producing alcohol. The 19th century Temperance movement advocated against excess drunkenness and promoted abstinence from alcohol. The Hawick Total Abstinence Society was founded in 1838, with members pledging to avoid all intoxicating beverages.
It is ironic that this old building was previously owned by five Irishmen and home to the Hawick Temperance Society and today it is producing alcohol. The Society was founded in 1838, with members pledging to avoid all intoxicating beverages.
The distillery started operating on 1st May 2018 and it takes a minimum of 3 years in cask before any whisky can legally be sold. But as all whisky connoisseurs will attest, the longer you wait the better it tastes. In the interim TTSC created a new blend of whisky called Clan Fraser which will be the first blend to flow through the pipes. This blend was inspired by the roots of the company, as the Fraser family settled in the Borders after travelling from France over 900 years ago. It will reflect the spirit of the Borders with a taste that will be both honeyed and buttery, with hints of cinnamon spice and vanilla. Amongst all the whisky, the unique Carterhead Stills (which use steam to create amazing flavours) are already producing the Puffing Billy vodka and Kerr's gin, to the delight of us here at ScotlandShop. Kerr's is the only Scottish Gin made with malted barley spirit. Named after William Kerr, born in Hawick in 1779, and one of the 19th century's most accomplished plant hunters and botanists.
