Bruichladdich - The Sophisticated Islay Single malt

Alfred Barnard: Clydesdale

Online Version Of This Classic Whisky Book

CLYDESDALE DISTILLERY, WISHAW, LANARKSHIRE.

PROPRIETORS, J. M. MACKENZIE & Co.

THIS Distillery is situated in the valley of the Clyde, six miles from the celebrated faIls, in the neighbourhood of beautiful scenery; it races the Wishaw House policies, which come up almost to the very gate- war. The banks of the Clyde are very charming, whilst the woods, orchards and fruit gardens combine to give this district the well- known designation of the c, Garden of Scotland." The water used in this Distillery comes from the Cambusnethan peat-moss, a natural bum in the hills, where wild flowers and heather grow in rich profusion. This bum bas been diverted from its course and is brought by a stone conduit through the grounds of Coltness (the property of James Houldsworth, Esq. direct into the works. Peat of excellent quality is dug from the Greenhead moss in the neighbourhood, so that the firm do not need to import any. The Distillery is solidly built in the form of a square, and was founded in the year 1825; it covers five acres of ground, is about fourteen miles from Glasgow, on the Caledonian Railway, and a quarter of a mile from the Railway Station. The works, which cost Lord Belhaven nearly ninety thousand pounds, were leased to Patrick Chalmers (brother to the celebrated Dr. Chalmers) who was the originator of the cc Cask Brand P. Chalmers." The establishment was afterwards purchased by the senior partner of the present firm, and as the bUsiness Increased additions and improvements have continually been made. The following are a few particulars of the establishment. There are four large Granaries at the top of the building and eight malting floors, four of the latter are 125 by 44 feet, and the other four 85 by 3° feet with Steeps of a proportionate size. The malt is hoisted by machinery to the large Kilns where it is dried by Peat; two of these Kilns are 44 feet square, the other 35 feet square, floored with perforated iron plates, and with the new improved sheet iron furrnaces which cause .a saving of fuel and give a greater amount of heat. Malt Stores and Mill Rooms are In close proximity, and the malt after being bruised by steel rollers is sent up by Elevators into the Mash Tun-a vessel 24 feet in diameter and 6 feet deep holding 15,271 gallons, with the usual stirring gear. The Under-back holds 5,676 gallons and from here the wort Wes through the coolers and two of Morton's Refrigerators into the four is ash-backs each containing 18,000 gallons. Thence after being fermented it pumped to the Wash Charger, which holds 18,000 gallons, afterwards through the four Stills which are of the plain Pot kind with a capacity of 5,500, 3,500 2,650 and 1,000 gallons respectively. The worm tubs are in the open air, and it may here be mentioned that the Whisky in this establishment undergoes three distillations. There is of course the usual safe; also sampling safe and a Receiver, the latter a large wood en vessel holding 3,000 gallons, Erom this the spirit flows into the vat (holding 5,000 gallons) placed in the spirit store where it is casked, weighed, and branded in the usual war, and gent to the Warehouses of which there are ten, solid stone buildings with slated roofs, some of these 156 feet long by 96 feet wide. These Warehouses at the time of our visit contained 3,500 casks of Whisky of various ages. There is an extensive apparatus on the premises for distilling water for reducing purposes, also a powerful steam engine with two boilers 3° feet long by 7 feet diameter, and steam injectors with fire hose attached. The Coppers for heating water are pure copper vessels of large capacity each of them capable of filling the Mash Tun. There is a capital Cooperage for repairs and storage-we also noticed upwards of 100 Sherry Butts just imported from Spain.

Forty persons are employed in the works, and the Manager, Brewer, and other employés have dwellings within the enclosure. There are capital Offices for the Partners, Clerks, and Excise gentlemen. There is a railway siding direct into the works, so that barley can be brought to the very doors of the Granaries. The Whiskey is pure Malt, and the Registered Trade Mark is II Clydesdale. The name of the chief excise officer is Mr. Wm. Wight, with two divisional officers and two assistants. The annual output is 17°,000 gallons.

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On 09 October 2005, leo stordiau added the next comment:

May be not an addition but just some comment.
I live in Holland, near to the German border were i frequently do weekly shopping in the city of Nordhorn. Some days ago the local LIDL supermarket had a special offer for a 16 years old Highland whisky. According to the label it was a 'Special Single Malt reserve', distilled at the 'Clydesdale Scotch Whisky Company, Glasgow G2 SRG Scotland'.

The label on the back side tells that it is from 'the Speyside region of the Scottish Highlands'.
Strangely enough the label doesn't mention the name of some ( German) importer.

I bought three bottles of it because it was, for a 16 yr old malt, rather cheap (17 Euro which is about 11 pounds!).
So i was very curious to know something more about this distillery i didn't know (and i must say i know most of the Scotch distilleries at least by name).
Some rambling on the Internet learned me that this distillery had been closed down in 1919 and the buildings demolished in 1988. Which made me the more curious...
Also because this article seems to suggest that the distillery still exists up to now and is in working order.

According to the age (16 yrs) mentioned on the label this whisky brand should have been distilled around... 1988 or even earlier, the year when the buildings were supposed to have been demolished!!

Could somebody solve this mystery for me??

By the way: IMHO it is a REALLY good and even excellent malt and a steal for this price, comparable with a 12 yr Royal Lochnagar wich will cost me (also in Germany) about 14 pounds.

On 10 October 2005, Jeroen Kloppenburg added the next comment:

Leo,

This article you read here is a re-print from a book published in 1885. The distillery in question is indeed closed, and it looks like you have bought a whisky which claims to have been distilled at a distillery which is closed... In other words: a fake!

For 17 Euro's, as you said it, its death cheap however. I wonder how it tastes like? If it is anything decent I say, just enjoy the thing. But I really like to know how any company is able to make a 16 year old single malt for 17 Euro however... Even the really cheap ILeach is just 6 years old or so, and costs more around 25 Euro!

I recommend you to read the introductionary article on the Alfred Barnard section of this website to put this article in the correct historical perspective.

On 05 November 2005, g bbourke added the next comment:

ould you tell me how much a bottle would cost in the uk

thank you geoff

On 09 November 2005, steve andrews added the next comment:

I too have bought a bottle of this single malt which I can confirm it is a fantastic malt. I also am trying to locate where I can get a bottle of this as LIDL have sold out. If anyone knows please email me.

On 25 December 2005, Markus Moraw added the next comment:

I've bought a 12 year old Single Malt (from that Clydesdale company) two days ago in a LIDL supermarket for 16 Euro and (although I don't know much about whisky) I found it to be the best I tasted so far. I wanted to know more about it and that's why I found this page. I will definitely buy some more bottles since this seems to be a limited offer.

On 28 December 2005, Clive Pownceby added the next comment:

I have been given a bottle of this malt as a Christmas present - it really is a mystery product. None of my reference books lists it. However it IS very drinkable - pleasant rather than overly characterful, noses well. A pale and lightish expereience. Now, I'll be in Glasgow within a month and will make enquiries - will maybe also ask the person whose gift it was, a few tactful questions! To summarise, well worth a tasting.

On 28 December 2005, Jeroen Kloppenburg added the next comment:

Clive, when you find out more please let us know here. Its certainly an interesting topic :)

The distillery itself is closed for sure, so they re-use the name simply, but if it is an affordable whisky which is tasting good, then by all means enjoy it! :)

On 28 December 2005, Tony added the next comment:

Possibly Tamnavulin distillery as it is the only Speyside one owned by Whyte & Mackay whose postcode is on the bottle.

On 28 December 2005, Jeroen Kloppenburg added the next comment:

Interesting! Whyte & Mackay are known for releasing cheaper expressions for shopping malls and so. So this is very plausible.

On 28 December 2005, Tony added the next comment:

Is it possible that Clydesdale is an independent bottling company? Being a Scot and having been in France this year, I came across a raft of Scotch whiskies whose names I had never heard of - probably for the European market. I'm presuming that this 16 year old malt is the same sort of idea.

On 28 December 2005, Tony added the next comment:

Clydesdale is perhaps an independent bottling company making Scotch products for the European market.

On 29 December 2005, Jeroen Kloppenburg added the next comment:

Tony: I've been trying to find it with Google but was unable to find anything. It is not uncommon to use a familiar name for cheap(er) single malts for supermarket product. And for this price I've yet to see a working distillery name!

On 29 December 2005, Tony added the next comment:

My friend is a malt afficionado and he has a contact for buying cask strength malt for decanting and selling on to friends. Most supermarkets obviously do the same but on a much bigger scale. I contacted Whyte & Mackay about the distillery source but I don't think they will be forthcoming.

On 08 February 2006, Jeroen Kloppenburg added the next comment:

OK, it is an independent indeed. They also have a website up now here: www.originalscotch.com

On 02 May 2006, kallaskander added the next comment:

Hi there,

there is the

Head office
The Clydesdale Original Scotch Whisky Co. Ltd.
Fairview House, Little London
Heathfield, East Sussex TN21 0BA
United Kingdom

Swedish office
The Clydesdale Original Scotch Whisky Co. Ltd.
Tallåsvägen 17 a
SE-163 43 Spånga
Sweden

with a Swedish office!!

and there is

Clydesdale Scotch Whisky Co. Ltd.
8 Dorset Square, London NW1
Whyte and Mackay Ltd.

There are informations that the first one is a subsidary of Blackadder.

Greetings
kallaskander

On 05 September 2006, Graham Harwood added the next comment:

The 16yr only pops up at Christmas. In the UK Lidl market a 12yr old from this supplier under the bogus sounding name 'Ben Bracken'. It's very drinkable though, especially for the price! From the sight of similar, unheard of in the UK, brands in European supermarkets, I think it's probably one of those, but no worse for that.

On 09 November 2006, Jeroen added the next comment:

More news, apparently this new independent is being owned by Robin Tucek, also known form the Blackadder line.

The idea is to bring out a quality cask strength malts for the whisky connoisseur.

On 24 January 2007, Len simpson added the next comment:

I bought a bottle of the this whisky at the local lidl and I,m afraid that it did nothing for me it is characterless, bland, and the only flavour that I could taste was a hint of Vanilla. the bottle cost £14:99 and the local Morrisons has Ledaig at this price which is very nice or on special offer Glen Livet at £15:99 So out of ten I would give it a 2

On 29 January 2007, marylyn thirlwall added the next comment:

I have been searching for any information on
James Munroe & son Distillers of Leith, the nearest match I can find id J Munroe Mackenzie of the Clydesdale Distillery, could you please help me with any information. Thank You Marylyn Thirlwall

On 07 April 2007, bob kirkwood added the next comment:

The product, in Scotland, is spelt whisky The spelling whiskey is usually used when referring to very approximately similar product produced in Ireland, America and occasionally Canada

On 08 April 2007, Thomas Sundblom added the next comment:

As a 50% of Clydesdale Original Scotch Whisky Company Ltd, i'm quite sure what is what.
Our company, with the word Original, is a company that is older than the one without that word. Our company is also a Limited company and the other isn't.
Our company is owned 50% by me and 50% by Blackadder International Ltd. It has been used for several years as a caskowning company but has during 2006 released it's own bottlings. All bottlings at cask strength and with no chill-filtration.
The other company is a blending non-limited company and is selling cheap stuff to hard-discount chains, ie Lidl. The name Clydesdale is an old region in the northen parts of Lowland.
Cheers

On 01 November 2007, Ranald Alasdair MacDonald of Keppoch added the next comment:

Is the Clydsdale Scotch Whisky Co still located in Glasgow and do they market ammixed Malt titled Glenorchy ?

On 12 December 2007, Chris Brown added the next comment:

The Clydesdale Whisky company is the banner used by Lidl for their brand of single malt whisky. The actual bottler is Kyndal International Ltd who supply a great many own brand whiskies to third parties.