May has come and gone and we were so happy to once again be able to hold The Bear Burning, which was a great success everyone seemed to have had a marvellous time, and it was brilliant to host such a big event here again.

Those of you who live nearby, or who have visited recently may have noticed that those lovely copper works of art seen through the distillery windows are hot again? We are extremely happy to be distilling once more. It’s also a joy to be welcoming so many visitors to the brand home. The Visitors’ Book tells a fabulous story – on some days there are visitors from nine or so different countries, all raving about what a wonderful experience they have had.

Stay safe and stay well, from our corner of Fife

Slàinte

Drew & Helen McKenzie Smith
Custodians of Lindores Abbey Distillery

DISTILLERY NEWS

We in operations find ourselves moving at a blistering pace. Whether that be in distillation or bottling, it’s currently all systems go –  all the time. Why is this? Because the brand is being so well received; and as our distributors, importers, social media, pilgrims, supporters and good old “word of mouth” works its magic, more and more people want to try our whisky.

That can only be taken positively so today I am going to start with thanking the operations team for maintaining this pace.

The US market will be opening up very soon and that will keep us even busier as we try to keep up with that demand.

From the distillery and the warehouse, it’s pretty much business as usual. Maintaining that Lindores Character in the SRWV ( Spirits Receiving Warehouse Vessel ) ready for cask filling is all important, and that recipe that will not get changed. Yes, there may be a little refinement, but the key ingredients will remain the same: local malt, local water, yeast and that secret ingredient, people!

We have lots of casks coming in and out of the warehouse including some that are bringing back memories. Can you believe it, we are already starting to bottle 4yo whisky. When and where did that happen? We have also done some private cask bottling which has been hugely enjoyable, and a great experience for all involved.

Slàinte

Gary Haggart
Distillery Manager

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

For the past few weeks I have been working on the sensory analysis of the different casks that are in the process of maturation. I evaluate their organoleptic characteristics, checking how the spirit is developing different flavours and aromas. I enjoy discovering that every single cask has its own profile.

Recently I have been sampling some Bourbon, Sherry and STR casks, all of them around 4 years old and I can confirm that Lindores Spirit is behaving well inside our different casks, influenced by the DNA in our New Make Spirit: mellow fruity, apples and ripe pears with soft elegant aromatic floral notes.

The Bourbon releases beautiful vanilla, butterscotch, custard cream and on the palate, a silky texture with a rounded finish. The Oloroso Sherry cask from Jose y Miguel Martin Cooperage is outstanding with mellow fruity raisins, marmalade tastes and rich chocolate notes. The STR casks are releasing fruity black cherry jam and spicy woody notes.

All these casks maintain the Lindores character. Most of these casks are well balanced and complex and could perhaps be classified as a ‘special occasion dram’. As you know our Lindores MCDXCIV is a blend of these three different type of casks, the Bourbon, Sherry and the STR Wine Barrique, producing an interesting, unique profile.

The heart of Lindores MCDXCIV comes from Bourbon casks with mellow vanilla and caramel notes; the influence of STR Wine barriques and Sherry Casks add expression to the final formula. The STR casks provide balance with a powerful combination of spicy woody notes and a subtle red wine touch that combines beautifully with the rich dried fruits and nuttiness of the Sherry casks.

Slàinte

Lorena Baez
Product Development

FATHERS DAY 2022

Want to get an amazing gift for Father’s Day but aren’t really sure where to start? Then why not let us take away some of the hassle with our easy to follow Father’s Day gifts guide on our website that should hopefully provide some inspiration, and will make a change from the usual socks!

FATHERS DAY GIFTS