About Clynelish Whisky Distillery
Distillery Number
01408 623000
Distillery Founded
1967
Distillery Capacity
4 200 000 litres
Distillery Status
Active
Distillery Address
Brora, Sutherland
Distillery Owner
Diageo
Distillery Website
www.malts.com
1819
The 1st Duke of Sutherland, founds a distillery called Clynelish Distillery.
1827
The first licensed distiller, James Harper, files for bankruptcy and John Matheson takes over.
1834
Andrew Ross takes over the license.
1846
George Lawson & Sons takes over.
1896
James Ainslie & Heilbron takes over.
1912
James Ainslie & Co. narrowly escapes bankruptcy and Distillers Company Limited (DCL) takes over together with James Risk.
1916
John Walker & Sons buys a stake of James Risk’s stocks.
1925
DCL buys out Risk.
1931
The distillery is mothballed.
1939
Production restarts.
1960
The distillery becomes electrified.
1967
A new distillery is built adjacent to the first one, it is also named Clynelish and both operate in parallel from August.
1968
‘Old’ Clynelish is mothballed in August.
1969
‘Old’ Clynelish is reopened as Brora and starts using a very peaty malt.
1983
Brora is closed in March.
2002
A 14 year old is released.
2006
A Distiller´s Edition 1991 finished in Oloroso casks is released.
Reproduced from the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2009 with the kind permission of Mr Ingvar Ronde