Located only a short distance from Edinburgh in the peaceful farmlands of East Lothian, Glenkinchie is one of the few Lowland distilleries left operating in Scotland. Known as “The Edinburgh Malt,” the distillery first opened in 1837, closed for a time, then reopened under new ownership at the end of the 19th century and has remained in production ever since. Not a large producer of single malts, there are currently only two offerings: this 12 year and a Distiller’s Edition, which ages an additional two years in Amontillado sherry casks. Thankfully, under ownership of the Diageo conglomerate, they remain in relative constant supply.
Aberlour 12 Year Double Cask
Nestled in the heart of the Speyside region a few miles north of Ben Rinnes along the River Spey, Aberlour has a proud history of distilling that covers centuries and intertwines a sense of heritage with exploration. While an increasing number of distilleries are replacing their aged offerings with No Age Statements (NAS), the Aberlour range has two 12’s, a 16 and an 18. The Aberlour 12 claims to be double matured, as it is aged in oak casks with buttes from ex-sherry casks.
Cragganmore Distillers Edition
Cragganmore is a 2-still distillery currently owned by Diageo and sits next to the Craggan burn. The stills are small and, being only two of them, the production of the distillery is limited. That being said, it is known for being one of the most complex Speyside whiskies. One contributor to the unique taste is that the wash ferments for a long time in wash backs* made of European Larch, one of the few distilleries to still use wooden wash backs. Before launching the single malt offerings, most of the output was used in blends like James Watson Number 10, and is still used today in Old Parr and White Horse.