Latest news with #InchDairnieDistillery
The Courier
16-05-2025
- Business
- The Courier
I tried InchDairnie's KinGlassie - so what did I think of Fife's newest whisky?
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.
Scotsman
07-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
InchDairnie distillery debuts inaugural single malt KinGlassie whiskies
Fife-based Scotch whisky-maker InchDairnie Distillery is launching its first Single Malt Scotch Whisky - and there are two to enjoy. Further showcasing its reputation as a pioneer in flavour exploration in the whisky sector, KinGlassie Double Matured Aged 8 Years Fife Single Malt Scotch Whisky and KinGlassie Raw Aged 8 Years Fife Single Malt Scotch Whisky launch on 8 May 2025. The new offerings from InchDairnie, which is located in Glenrothes, are contenders for the first peated whisky from the Kingdom of Fife in modern times. The two whiskies debuting comprise KinGlassie Double Matured and KinGlassie Raw, each providing a distinct take on the new KinGlassie range that ignites flavour discovery, revealing new dimensions in smoke. KinGlassie, which is taken from the Irish 'Saint Glaisne' means 'church by the burn' and is also the name of the village near the distillery's base. KinGlassie Double Matured is a heavily peated eight-year-old single malt whisky, with a distinctive 50ppm peat content derived from Scottish mainland peat. Until 2021, it was distilled only once a year for less than a week. Crafted at InchDairnie Distillery, this whisky benefits from innovative equipment, such as the hammer mill that finely grinds grain to maximise flavour extraction and a mash conversion vessel that replaces the traditional mash tun, ensuring a richer, more refined character. KinGlassgie Double Matured whisky Double distilled and double condensed for more copper contact to remove sulphur notes, KinGlassie Double Matured is first matured in Bourbon casks for five years and then Amontillado casks for three years. Tasting notes includes a combination 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 ex-bourbon casks. The two products complement InchDairnie's existing product offering, RyeLaw, a single distillery Scottish Rye Whisky made from malted rye and barley. InchDairnie Distillery is working with partners such as the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) 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. Scott Sneddon, managing director at InchDairnie Distillery 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.' KinGlassie Raw whisky Ian Palmer, founder at InchDairnie Distillery added: '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 gamechanger for those who crave complexity, and depth.' KinGlassie Double Matured and KinGlassie Raw launch on 8 May 2025 priced with a RRP of £79. You can buy the whiskies here. KinGlassie Raw will be exclusively available for one month through The Whisky Exchange and Speciality Drinks, and then all good whisky retailers and direct from the distillery website.
The National
01-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Two major Scotch whisky companies merge under new name
MacDuff International Scotch Whisky Limited and InchDairnie Distillery Limited have announced both companies will be consolidated into a single entity. The two will now be known as InchDairnie Whisky Limited. InchDairnie Distillery, based in Fife, was founded in 2011 with the first spirit flowing from the still in 2015. READ MORE: Charities urge John Swinney to act in bid to reverse near-record alcohol deaths MacDuff International Scotch Whisky Limited was founded in 1992 by Charles Murray, Stewart MacDuff and Edward Thomson, and currently produces several premium whisky brands, including Islay Mist & Lauder's. The brand is already responsible for the sales and distribution of InchDairnie Distillery's award-winning Scottish Rye Whisky, RyeLaw, and the soon to be released inaugural single malt signature bottling, KinGlassie. The merger, bosses said, will bring with it "a range of benefits that will support the business in its next chapter". The company has confirmed that current office locations in both Glasgow and Glenrothes will be retained. READ MORE: Nigel Farage says he 'doesn't want' NHS to be publicly funded Managing director (commercial) Graham Glen said: 'The formation of InchDairnie Whisky Limited is the natural next step in our journey. 'We believe that working as one business, with one team and one clear vision, sets us up for long-term success across all areas of our operation. While the MacDuff name will be retired from active use, it will forever remain a proud part of the group's legacy, that we look forward to building upon in this next chapter. "Islay Mist, Lauder's and Waterproof, together with RyeLaw and KinGlassie, with more InchDairnie brands launching over the next four years, makes for an amazing portfolio of whisky brands to excite the whisky enthusiast.' Scott Sneddon, managing director (distilling), said: 'This is more than just a name change. It's a statement - about who we are, how we work together, and what we want to achieve as a modern, ambitious whisky business. "It comes at an exciting time for the business too, as we plan to launch our inaugural single malt signature bottling, KinGlassie'.
