I tried InchDairnie's KinGlassie - so what did I think of Fife's newest whisky?

The Courier

16-05-2025

Fife grown, Fife distilled, Fife matured! That's the motto of InchDairnie Distillery in Glenrothes, which has fulfilled its ambitions by releasing its first-ever single malt, KinGlassie.
As I listened to Ian Palmer joke that, as chairman, he can 'swan around and do nothing', you know he doesn't mean it – with more than 45 years' experience in the industry fuelling a fire in his belly to achieve much more.
InchDairnie is doing just that. He is man undoubtedly invested in a project that provides the chairman, who founded the distillery that sits in the shadows of the Lomond Hills, with a great deal of joy.
Ian is someone who is clearly fiercely passionate about his craft and he is so proud of what has been achieved with the launch of KinGlassie.
It's an eight-year-old peated whisky available as two expressions – Double Matured, which has spent five years in bourbon casks followed by three years in amontillado casks, and Raw, which has spent its entire eight-year life in bourbon casks.
The distillery is extremely proud of where the whisky has been produced and KinGlassie is proudly badged as 'single malt Fife whisky'.
KinGlassie is taken from the Irish 'Saint Glaisne', meaning 'church by the burn', and is also the name of the village near the distillery's base.
The new spirit is made from an innovative process that begins with Fife barley that is matured in warehouses in the Kingdom – and it's a new make you cannot fail to enjoy nosing.
At 70%-plus ABV, there is a prickle but that gives way to a delightfully fruity nose with a lovely waft of smoke.
The finished product is impressive. At eight years old, the time was definitely right to bottle it.
Double distilled and double condensed for more copper contact to remove sulphur notes, KinGlassie Double Matured combines flavours of smoke and tobacco, with rich layers of almonds and nuts, creating a smoky and velvety drinking experience.
The limited edition KinGlassie Raw brings a smouldering fireplace hit, with a complex depth charge of rich, sweet, malty flavours.
It is aged for eight years in American oak former bourbon casks, with an untamed, all-enveloping yet precision-balanced smokiness.
Managing director Scott Sneddon said: 'We are extremely excited to bring these products to market and believe they will be well suited to fans of highly peated whiskies, but also to those who are seeking something different.
'KinGlassie very much demonstrates our ethos of fusing centuries-old tradition with our innovation-led laser focus on creating multi-layered flavour to create a whisky that is luxuriously smoky and smooth.
'We are also pleased to be building out our product range, with further launches in the coming years, as InchDairnie Distillery gains a prominent role in Scotland's Scotch sector.'
Sadly, the distillery is not open to the public yet, but the bosses did hint that they may look at making access available in some format in the future.
I had little clue as to what lay ahead as I made the drive into the modest Whitehill Industrial Estate in Glenrothes.
But as the raft of industrial units gave way to some beautiful wrought iron gates, I felt a little like Charlie Bucket must have as he entered Willy Wonka's factory.
As I gazed at InchDairnie, I could not help but marvel at its design and beauty.
It is a distillery that is doing things differently from others in the industry – it seems the only process that it has in common with other brands is how it fills the bottles!
The site itself is a sprawling delight that includes a beautiful welcome area, amazing distillery and 18 warehouses – currently home to some 160,000 casks.
Ian began his dream back in 2011 and the two expressions available complement InchDairnie's existing offering, RyeLaw, a single distillery Scottish rye whisky made from malted rye and barley.
Ian said: 'I am incredibly proud to mark this moment as a landmark milestone for InchDairnie Distillery.
'The launch of KinGlassie Double Matured and KinGlassie Raw is a huge step in our journey, not just as a distillery but as innovators in the whisky industry.
'These two distinct whiskies represent our unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of flavour and delivering a taste revolution. I believe it will become a game changer for those who crave complexity and depth.'
InchDairnie Distillery is working with partners such as the Scotch Whisky Association to promote responsible peat use and extraction practices.
The distillery is also working to support peatland restoration projects, collaborating with other distilleries, landowners and organisations such as NatureScot Peatland Action and IUCN to restore degraded peatlands and contribute to the broader environmental goals of the whisky industry.
Despite being labelled as heavily peated, it doesn't use Islay peat rather it's wee brother, Lowland peat, so the result is something gentler smoke-wise and rather delicious.
With the Double Matured, on the nose I initially got notes of smoke, then some orchard fruits and some light sherried aroma. The smoke faded and there were stoned fruits and apples.
The palate is delicious.
For me, the smoke arrives and dissipates into a fruity barbecue flavour, Seville orange, pineapple cubes and lemon as well as some blackcurrants as it finishes. The finish itself is medium, smoky and a little oily so the flavours hang around pleasantly in your mouth.
Raw is aptly named as it is raw but in a good way. On the nose there is liquorice and light smoke, light fruit notes, sherbet and a little salinity.
On the palate you are immediately greeted by light smoke, orchard fruits, some tongue-coating toffee, caramel and smoky barley sugar.
The finish is medium, beginning fresh and smoky before featuring some grassy notes.
I really enjoyed both drams and they are punching above their weight in my opinion for a first release.