All about Auchentoshan

The signature taste of Auchentoshan single malt Whisky sets them a bit apart from other Lowlanders. The triple distillation makes them a bit sweeter and smoother as a rule. And since extra still time yields a lighter spirit, it has a dryer finish too ... think of a dry Cabernet wine and how it is wet and dry on the finish. It's like that. And you definitely will taste the grain as well.

All about Auchentoshan distillery

Auchentoshan Distillery is located just outside of Glasgow, directly on the banks of the Clyde River, as it spills into the Firth of Clyde -- just about as industrial and Lowlander as you can get.

Surprisingly, there are very few confirmed sources of historical information about this famous distillery. We do know that it was founded in 1800, but while other shops post grainy photos of their founders bringing in the sheeves, the folks at Auchentoshan Distillery keep oddly quiet about it. It's like they're saying, "Here's our Whisky, now shut up and get back to work you cheeky bastard!"

So we have a big gap in our knowledge which jumps to 1969, when Eadie Cairns purchased the place and rebuilt it from scratch. He did a good job and sold it fifteen years later to Morrison Bowmore, and then Suntory bought Morrison Bowmore, and so on, and so on.

Auchentoshan sounds like the name of a medieval warrior, but it actually translates from Gaelic as “the field in the corner.” The locals call it “Glasgow’s malt Whisky” because the distillery sits nearby, and it is one of the six remaining Lowland single malt Whiskies left in the world (though a small handful of upstarts are on the way).

Since its founding it has changed ownership several times -- too many to list here quite frankly. But what you really need to know, is that Auchentoshan does four things that make it special: they lightly malt the barley, it never gets anywhere near peat smoke, it’s triple distilled, and it’s aged only in premium Bourbon, Sherry, Port, and Wine casks.

Distillery info

  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Region: Lowlands
  • Address: Auchentoshan Distillery, Dalmuir, Clydebank G81 4SJ, United Kingdom
  • Phone: +44 1389 878561
  • Website: http://www.auchentoshan.com