Glencadam distillery

Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Glencadam’s new make character of flowers and pear drops is a direct result of a distillation regime that maximises reflux – the lyne arms on the stills are angled upwards. Its mature character, especially when matured in refill American oak, has a soft buttery quality that adds a silkiness to the palate.  

Map
  • Region
    Highland
  • Production type
    Single malt
  • Distillery Status
    Working

Glencadam History

Glencadam, which is situated in the Burgh of Brechin, was built in the era of optimism that followed the passing of the 1823 Excise Act. After passing through a number of owners, it became part of the estate of Glasgow blender Gilmour Thompson & Co which bought the distillery in 1891.

The blending house ceased trading in 1954 when Glencadam was sold to Canadian distiller Hiram Walker, which was then starting its first acquisitive sweep through Scotland. Through a process of amalgamation it became part of Allied Distillers and was seen as being the ‘home’ of the Dundee blend Stewart’s Cream of the Barley.

Allied mothballed the plant in 2000 but it was purchased three years later by London-based Angus Dundee [see Tomintoul]. Angus Dundee’s blending lab is now located at the distillery.

A quiet player for most of its existence, Glencadam is slowly emerging as a single malt in its own right. Its recent proprietary bottlings have not been chill-filtered or caramel tinted.

Timeline

  • 1825 The distillery is founded by George Cooper
  • 1827 Glencadam is purchased by David Scott
  • 1852 Alexander Milne Thomson takes over
  • 1891 Glencadam is purchased by Glasgow's Gilmour Thompson & Co
  • 1954 Gilmour Thompson folds and Glencadam is sold to Hiram Walker
  • 1987 Allied Lyons (later Allied Domecq) purchases Hiram Walker
  • 2000 The distillery is mothballed
  • 2003 Glencadam is acquired by Angus Dundee which reopens the distillery
  • 2008 Glencadam 10-year-old and a redesigned 15-year-old are launched
  • 2012 Glencadam 30 Year Old is released

Glencadam Facts

  • Capacity (mlpa) i
    1.4
  • Condenser Type i
    2 Shell and tube
  • Fermentation Time i
    48hrs
  • Filling Strength i
    68%
  • Grist Weight (t) i
    4.9
  • Heat Source i
    External steam heating for wash still and steam kettles in spirit still
  • Malt Specification i
    No peat
  • Malt Supplier i
    Various
  • Mash Tun Type i
    Traditional mash tun
  • New-make Strength i
    68%
  • Spirit Still Charge (l) i
    12,000
  • Spirit Still Shape i
    Ogee
  • Stills i
    2 (1 wash, 1 spirit)
  • Warehousing i
    Dunnage and Racked
  • Wash Still Charge (l) i
    12,000
  • Wash Still Shape i
    Ogee
  • Washback Charge (l) i
    24,000
  • Washback Type i
    Stainless steel
  • Washbacks i
    6
  • Water Source i
    Moorans
  • Yeast Type i
    Distillers yeast

Owners

Parent company

Current owner

Previous owners

  • Allied Domecq 1994 - 2003
  • Allied Lyons 1988 - 1994
  • Hiram Walker & Sons 1954 - 1988
  • Gilmour Thomson & Co 1891 - 1954
  • James Ferguson & Sons 1890 - 1891
  • Glencadam Distillery Co 1867 - 1890
  • Wallace & Scott 1860 - 1867
  • Glencadam Distillery Co 1857 - 1860
  • Alexander Milne Thomson 1852 - 1857
  • David Scott 1827 - 1852
  • George Cooper 1825 - 1827

Contact

Address
Glencadam Distillery
Brechin
Angus
DD9 7PA
United Kingdom
Phone
+44 1356 622217
Visitor Opening Hours
Not open to the public

Map

See also

  • Lochside Lochside Lochside Distillery & brand

    Lochside

    Lochside's imposing white tower was once unmissable, but is now missed from the Montrose skyline.

  • North Port North Port North Port Distillery & brand

    North Port

    Also known as Brechin, North Port was a family-owned distillery bought out and closed by DCL.

  • Barrelwell Barrelwell Barrelwell Distillery

    Barrelwell

    A long-lost distillery once active in Angus.

  • Cants Mill Cants Mill Cants Mill Distillery

    Cants Mill

    A rural farm distillery open in Angus for just a year in the early 19th century.

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