The Glasgow Distillery, founded in 2012 by Liam Hughes and Mike Hayward, aimed to revive premium spirits production in Glasgow. The city, once a whisky hub, had its original Glasgow Distillery closed in 1902. The new distillery, the first to open and release whisky in the city since then, is independently owned and employs 17 people, including six distillers and a full-time cooper.
The distillery produces three styles of whisky throughout the year: double distilled with unpeated malted barley, double distilled with peated malted barley, and triple distilled with unpeated malted barley. This variety allows for a wide spectrum of flavours in their single malt whiskies. Barley is sourced from UK suppliers, and the grain is milled and mashed in a stainless steel semi-lauter tun with a staged water addition to maximise sugar extraction.
Seven stainless steel washbacks ensure a deep clean between different spirit styles. The wash, around 8% ABV, is distilled in two 2,500-litre wash stills, named Tara and Francis, with spirit stills named Mhairi and Margaret. These stills were chosen to enhance the fruity nature of the spirit, with slow distillation runs maximising copper contact to remove impurities.
White spirits, including gin and vodka, are produced in a still named Annie, allowing for flexibility with fresh botanicals. The distillery’s casks are stored at various third-party sites, with plans for an on-site warehouse. The on-site cooper, Shug McMurray, manages cask repairs.
The Glasgow Distillery is known for its diverse cask finishes, using a wide range of speciality casks. The core range, Glasgow 1770, includes The Original, Peated, and Triple Distilled whiskies, priced under £50 for the core range and just under £60 for limited editions. The distillery's focus on accessibility, authenticity, and transparency, along with its versatile production, makes it a notable player in the Scotch whisky industry.