| Region of production: | Lowland |
| Distillery Location: | Pencaitland, East Lothian |
| Year Established: | 1837 |
Top Spirits Produced
- Core Range:
- 12 Years Old
- Distillers Edition
- Limited Releases:
- 24 Years Old
- Distillery Only
Average Total Production
- 2.5 million liters neutral spirit before aging
Summary
In 1825, John and George Rate built the Milton Distillery. They received a license for the Glenkinchie Distillery in 1837 – likely the Milton Distillery under a new name. John Rate sold Glenkinchie in 1853 to a farmer who turned it into a sawmill. In 1880, a consortium out of Edinburgh purchased and refurbished the distillery. Glenkinchie and four other Lowland distilleries – Rosebank, St. Magdalene, Grange, and Clydesdale – established the Scottish Malt Distillers company in 1914. Perhaps due to this influential company, Glenkinchie was among the few distilleries that remained in production through World War II. Today, it is one of only six malt whisky distilleries in the Lowlands.
Style & Distillation Techniques
Glenkinchie is home to Scotland’s largest stills, at 30,963 liters. Contributing to the spirits’ depth of flavor is the traditional single cast-iron worm tubs that the distillery uses to cool the new make (rather than using more modern condensers). A large percentage of the distillery’s production is destined to be blended, with only a small proportion reserved for single malt bottlings. Glenkinchie’s spirits are among the lightest, most floral, and most delicate of Scotch whiskies, appropriate as aperitifs.
Producer Website: Glenkinchie