A Guide to Scotch Whisky Regions - Lowlands

Well Known Distilleries in the Lowlands Whisky Region

By the early 2000s just three single malt distilleries remained in the Lowlands – Auchentoshan near Glasgow, Bladnoch in rural Dumfries & Galloway and Glenkinchie near Edinburgh.

Auchentoshan is the most well-known and has an extensive range of single malts. Casks are often available to purchase on the market also. It was founded in 1823 and is the only distillery in Scotland to practise triple distillation for its entire production.

Bladnoch has had a chequered recent history with closures in the 1990s and mid-2010s. Originally founded in 1817, it is one of Scotland’s most remote distilleries. New ownership has breathed new life into Bladnoch and set about re-establishing it as a leading single malt brand.

Glenkinchie is something of a tourist hotspot and just a short drive from central Edinburgh into the rolling hills of East Lothian. Founded in 1837, it has traditionally been used in leading blended Scotch whiskies. Glenkinchie is one of four homes of Johnnie Walker dotted around Scotland (plus Cardhu in Speyside, Clynelish in the Highlands, and Caol Ila on Islay) with each distillery an important component of the blend.

New Lowlands Whisky Distilleries

The Lowlands region is one that has benefitted most from the growth of craft distilling over the last decade. Numerous distilleries have opened in this time, expanding the choice for consumers. They are putting the Lowlands back on the Scotch whisky map.

Many are in rural locations as their predecessors were, but the boom has also seen the rebirth of the urban distillery. Glasgow boasts the Clydeside and Glasgow distilleries while Edinburgh is home to Bonnington, Holyrood and the soon-to-be opened Port of Leith.

The Kingdom of Fife is a particular hotbed with several new distilleries appearing. Its proximity to Scotland’s capital has led to a thriving whisky tourism industry in the region as more distilleries open their doors and begin production.

Names to watch out for include Daftmill near Cupar, Eden Mill and Kingsbarns near St. Andrews, Inchdairnie in Glenrothes and Lindores Abbey near Newburgh.

Rural distilleries can be found off the beaten track with several using locally grown barley. In the case of Lochlea in Ayrshire, this is grown on the farm where the distillery is located. Other such Lowland distilleries making an early name for themselves include Annandale in Annan near the English border and The Borders in Hawick.

Names From a Bygone Era

The Lowlands, and particularly the Central Belt between Edinburgh and Glasgow, are littered with highly regarded and revered former distilleries that fell on hard times. The Lowland distilleries, like many across Scotland, could not survive the terrible slump in Scotch whisky sales and production during the 1980s and 1990s. Key names lost during this period include Littlemill, Rosebank and St. Magdalene.

Littlemill, which was in the village of Bowling near Dumbarton, was founded in 1772 and would be one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries if still in production. It closed in 1992. Similarly, St. Magdalene, which was in Linlithgow and began production in 1795, closed in 1983.

However, Rosebank, which is in Camelon on the banks of the Forth & Clyde canal, has been resurrected after 30 years of silence. Distillation is scheduled to commence again in mid-2023. The bold project to bring the distillery back to life is a collaboration between owners Ian Macleod Distillers and The Scottish Canal Trust. The original distillery had opened in 1840 but closed in 1993.

Bottlings and casks from these fabled distilleries are highly sought after and desired by whisky connoisseurs and investors alike. Extremely high prices reflect the revered nature and rarity of these malts.

For further information on the whisky regions of Scotland or the best whisky cask investments to make from the Lowlands, then please contact us below.