Bowmore
A medium-peated Islay whisky.
Auchentoshan
Distillery & brand
Auchentoshan’s claim to fame is that it is the only distillery in Scotland which exclusively uses triple distillation.
Auchentoshan distillery
Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The wash still operates as per normal, while the spirit coming from the intermediate still is split into two, with only the high-strength ‘heads’ being carried forward for the final distillation. The low-strength ‘tails’ are mixed with the next distillation from the wash still.
The ‘heads’ are then mixed with the ‘feints’ from the previous spirit still distillation and a cut with an average strength of 81% is taken. A short fermentation gives Auchentoshan a cereal note which acts as a grounding flavour during maturation as well as balancing the high-toned citric notes. Its high strength means that it can easily be overpowered by oak. Consequently, the older the expression, the more ‘relaxed’ the wood influence is.
Auchentoshan History
Legal whisky-making started here on the banks of the Clyde in 1817 when the Duntocher distillery was built by John Bulloch. Like many early start-ups it had a chequered early history and Bulloch went bankrupt soon after. It wasn’t to put his family off however. His grandson co-founded one of the 19th century’s most famous blending and broking firms, Bulloch Lade.
It was bought in 1834 by John Hart and Alexander Filshie who changed its name to Auchintoshan [sic]. The Filshie’s sold up in 1875 to a local grain merchant and again like so many stills, ‘Auchie’ spent almost a century being passed from one owner to another. During the Clyde Blitz of 1941 a warehouse was hit, sending a stream of blazing whisky into the river. A bomb crater has been turned into the distillery pond.
It was one of a number of distilleries purchased by brewers in the 1960s – in Auchie’s case Glasgow-based Tennant’s were owners from 1960 to 1969 when they offloaded it to a publican, Eadie Cairns. The upgraded distillery was then sold to Stanley P Morrison in 1984. It is now part of Beam Suntory. A new visitor facility was built in 2004.
Unusually, all of its production is used for single malt.
Timeline
- 1817 John Bulloch builds the Duntocher distillery on the banks of the Clyde
- 1834 The distillery is bought by John Hart and Alexander Filshie who change its name to Auchintoshan
- 1875 The distillery is sold to CH Curtis & Co. Greenock
- 1900 Alexander Ferguson & Co acquire the distillery
- 1903 Brewers George and John McLachlan take over the site
- 1941 A German bomb raid severely damages the distillery, destroying a warehouse
- 1960s Acquired by J & R Tennent of Wellpark Brewery, Glasgow, which was absorbed by Charringtons in 1964 and later merged to become Bass Charrington in 1967
- 1969 Auchentoshan sold to publican Eadie Cairns
- 1984 Distillery sold to Stanley P Morrison (later Morrison Bowmore) for £325,000
- 1994 Suntory buys Morrison Bowmore
- 2002 Auchentoshan Three Wood is launched
- 2013 Auchentoshan Virgin Oak is released
Auchentoshan Facts
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- Capacity (mlpa) i
- 1.75
-
- Condenser Type i
- Shell and tube
-
- Fermentation Time i
- 50hrs
-
- Filling Strength i
- 63.5%
-
- Grist Weight (t) i
- 6.825
-
- Heat Source i
- Gas boiler generated steam via pans and coils
-
- Malt Specification i
- Pot still Spring barley (non peated)
-
- Malt Supplier i
- Simpsons
-
- Mash Tun Type i
- Semi Lauter
-
- New-make Strength i
- 81%
-
- Single Malt Percentage i
- 100%
-
- Spirit Still Shape i
- Lampglass style
-
- Stills i
- 3
-
- Wash Still Charge (l) i
- 17,500
-
- Wash Still Shape i
- Lampglass style
-
- Washback Charge (l) i
- 34,500
-
- Washback Size (l) i
- 38,000
-
- Washback Type i
- 4 Wood, 4 Stainless steel
-
- Washbacks i
- 7
-
- Water Source i
- Loch Katrine
-
- Wort Clarity i
- Clear
-
- Yeast Type i
- Dry
Owners
Parent company
- Beam Suntory 2014 - present
Current owner
Previous owners
- Suntory Holdings 1994 - 2014
- Stanley P Morrison 1984 - 1989
- Eadie Cairns 1969 - 1984
- Bass Charrington 1967 - 1969
- Charringtons 1964 - 1967
- Wellpark Brewery 1960 - 1964
- McLachlans Limited 1903 - 1960
- Alex Ferguson & Co 1900 - 1903
- CH Curtis & Co 1875 - 1900
- J and A Fishlie 1834 - 1875
- Bulloch & Co 1817 - 1834
Contact
- Address
-
Auchentoshan Distillery
by Dalmuir
Clydebank
Glasgow
G81 4SJ
United Kingdom - Phone
- +44 1389 878561
- Visitor Opening Hours
-
- Monday
- 10am to 5pm
- Tuesday
- Closed
- Wednesday
- 10am to 5pm
- Thursday
- 10am to 5pm
- Friday
- 10am to 5pm
- Saturday
- 10am to 5pm
- Sunday
- 10am to 5pm
Map
See also
-
Distillery & brand
-
Brand
15 Para Blend
Bottled for a parachute regiment, this one-off expression made its last jump in 1993.