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Glengoyne is the southernmost distillery in the Scottish Highlands, located half an hour from Glasgow. The distillery produces a line of aged whiskeys aged from 10 to 35 years. Drinks are characterized by a mild fruity taste, which is given to them by rare varieties of Scottish barley, water from a mountain spring and a special method of distillation. The distillery is owned by the British company Ian Macleod Distillers.
Historical information
Glengoyne distillery is located in the Southern Highlands in the village of Dumgoyne, which is located near the famous Loch Lomond. The company is built on the border of two regions – Highland and Speyside and produces whiskey, characteristic of the highlands, although warehouses have already been built in the lowlands. In the XNUMXth century, many clandestine alcohol factories operated in these parts, and Glengoyne was one of them.
The owner at that time was George Connel, while the land did not belong to him personally, but was on a long-term lease. The enterprise was called Burnfoot and was located in a small lowland, which made it possible not to attract the attention of the authorities. Illegal distillation has been going on since 1820, Connell legalized the distillery only 13 years later. After obtaining a license, the businessman built a large warehouse in the lowland areas adjacent to the plant.
In 1876, the company was acquired by the Lang brothers, who renamed the distillery Glengoyne. In 1965, the plant became part of the assets of the Robertson & Baxter Group, which carried out a large-scale reconstruction and modernization of production, which made it possible to triple the volume of products. Glengoyne has been owned by Ian Macleod Distillers since 2003.
Production features
The capacity of the plant is designed to produce 1,1 million liters of whiskey per year. A large part of the production goes into blends of the Cutty Sark line. As in the XNUMXth century, water from the Campsie Fells spring, located just behind the plant, is used in production. Glengoyne has ditched peat fumigation of the malt, drying the grains with hot air, which gives the whiskey a natural flavor.
The plant has six fermentation tanks made from Oregon pine. The distillation takes place in specially designed copper stills designed for slow distillation to saturate the alcohols with esters. Whiskey matures in carefully selected barrels, preference is given to containers from Spanish sherry.
Interesting Facts
- According to legend, one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland has its own ghost. The employees of the enterprise are the ghost of the company manager Cochrane Cartwright, who drowned right on the territory of the plant in the XNUMXth century after distilling a large batch of whiskey.
- In 1970, in the first week after New Year’s Eve, a 110-gallon cask of aged whiskey fell off a company truck on Renfield Street in Glasgow. The driver could not stop the crowd, which rushed to taste the strong drink that was pouring onto the pavement. “Suddenly, bottles, cups, glasses and teapots appeared out of nowhere,” according to a report published in the Daily Record newspaper.
Types of whiskey Glengoyne
Glengoyne 10 years old, 40%
Aged in American and European oak sherry casks. The color of the drink is bright golden, the aroma mixes apple, grain and woody shades. Green apples, toffees and a slight hint of roasted nuts are felt on the palate. Pairs with fresh oysters and shallot dressing dishes.
Glengoyne 12 years old, 43%
Matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks. Whiskey golden color with aromas of coconut, honey and citrus. The taste is rich with tones of apple marmalade, lemon, orange and vanilla. Makes a gastronomic pair with fried sea scallops seasoned with ginger and chili pepper.
Glengoyne 15 years old, 43%
Whiskey golden hue with aromas of lemon, roasted corn and caramel. Tropical notes with hints of candied lemon and pineapple are traced in the deep taste, oak nuances are brightly revealed at the finish. Suitable for guinea fowl baked with fragrant herbs.
