Whisky distillery in Dalmuir, Scotland
Auchentoshan |
|
| Location | Dalmuir |
|---|
| Owner | Suntory Global Spirits |
|---|
| Founded | 1823[1] |
|---|
| Status | Operational |
|---|
| Water source | Loch Katrine (Production) & Loch Cochno (Cooling)[2] |
|---|
| No. of stills | 1 wash still[2]
1 middle still[2]
1 spirit still[2] |
|---|
| Capacity | 1,800,000 litres[2] |
|---|
| Website | http://www.auchentoshan.com/ |
|---|
|
| Type | Single malt |
|---|
| Age(s) | 12 Years
18 Years
21 Years |
|---|
| Cask type(s) | 80% refill
20% First fill sherry wood |
|---|
| ABV | 40% – 43%[3] |
|---|
|
| Type | Single malt |
|---|
| Cask type(s) | 1st Fill Bourbon Cask |
|---|
| ABV | 40%[3] |
|---|
|
| Type | Single Malt |
|---|
| Cask type(s) | 10 Years matured in American Bourbon with 1 year Oloroso finish and then 1 year Pedro Ximenez finish |
|---|
| ABV | 43%[3] |
|---|
Auchentoshan distillery ( OKH-ən-TOSH-ən) is a single malt whisky distillery in the west of Scotland.[4]: 15
The name Auchentoshan is from Gaelic Achadh an Oisein (Scottish Gaelic pronunciation: [ˈaxəɣ ən̪ ˈɔʃɛɲ]) and translates as "corner of the field".[5][4] The distillery is also known as "Glasgow's Malt Whisky" due to its proximity to Glasgow and "the breakfast whisky" due to its sweet and delicate nature.[6] Auchentoshan is located at the foot of the Old Kilpatrick Hills on the outskirts of Clydebank in West Dunbartonshire near the Erskine Bridge.[4] It is one of six malt whisky distilleries in the Scottish Lowlands[7] along with Lochlea Distillery, Glenkinchie and recently Daftmill Distillery, Annandale Distillery and Ailsa Bay Distillery.
History
The Auchentoshan distillery was built in 1823.[4][8] The original distillery was built by a corn merchant named John Bulloch and managed with his son.[4] Following their bankruptcy in 1834, the distillery was sold to Alexander Filshie, a local farmer and it remained under control of his family until 1877, following a bad harvest when it was sold again to several owners.[4] In 1877, the distillery was acquired by the Glasgow distillers John & George MacLachlan.[4] The area around the distillery was damaged during the Second World War and a bomb crater behind the distillery now acts as a pond for cooling water.[4] The distillery was bought by Eadie Cairns in 1969, who rebuilt it completely.[8] Cairns sold Auchentoshan to whisky blenders Stanley P Morrison (later to become Morrison Bowmore distillers) in 1984.[8][4] Suntory invested in Morrison Bowmore in 1989 and in 1994, they acquired 100% of its holdings.[4] In May 2014,[9] Beam Inc. and Suntory Holdings Limited merged to create Suntory Global Spirits, who are now the owners of Auchentoshan and other Morrison Bowmore holdings.
Production
Unusually for a Scottish distillery, Auchentoshan practices triple distillation.[10][4]: 16 The mash tun at the distillery is a modern stainless steel semi-Lauter mash tun, with a copper canopy.[4]: 15 Generally the final stage of Scotch whisky production involves distilling the fermented mash in two copper stills. In Auchentoshan, a third still (known as the "Intermediate Still") helps to give a final spirit strength of 81% ABV (162 proof).[10] This triple distillation, in addition to an unpeated malt,[5] gives Auchentoshan a more delicate and sweet flavour than many Scotch whiskies.[6] Maturation is mainly in ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry butts, though some Auchentoshans will mature in French wine casks.[11]
Special bottlings are released periodically, including the oldest, a 50-year-old Auchentoshan distilled in 1957 and released in 2008.[12]
The distillery has a visitor centre and conference facilities, both completed in 2005, and is open to the public for tours every day of the week.
