Gleann Mòr Spirits appoints Matt McKay to reawaken

The London Distillery Company

Gleann Mòr Spirits, the family-owned spirits producer, today announced that it had appointed Matt McKay as Managing Director and Whisky Maker of The London Distillery Company.

Joining the business in January 2025, Matt will lead the revitalisation of the distillery (which operated in Battersea and Bermondsey in London from 2011 – 2020), following the acquisition of the company by Gleann Mòr Spirits in 2023.

Breathing new life into The London Distillery Company (TLDC), which was London’s first whisky distillery since the Lea Valley Distillery closed in 1903, Matt will initially craft expressions from the remaining single malt whisky stocks originally produced by the TLDC. Alongside this, he will also draw from, and blend casks produced by modern-era English whisky producers, replicating the style and character that the Gleann Mòr Spirits team anticipate for the future of TLDC.

Matt brings with him a wealth of exceptional experience in the whisky industry, most recently from his positions as Director of Whisky Creation and Outreach at Dunphail Distillery and Director of Communications at Bimber Distillery, where he played an integral role in establishing the distillery as a leading light in craft whisky production.

Commenting on the appointment, the Company said:

“We are delighted to welcome Matt to the Gleann Mòr family. He is the perfect person to lead the revitalisation of The London Distillery Company, bringing with him outstanding knowledge of the whisky industry, and English whisky in particular. Gleann Mòr has grown significantly over the last few years, and the rebirth of TLDC is an important and exciting part of our ambitious next chapter.” 

Matt added:

“This is not just a role for me, it’s a deep-seated passion, and I therefore could not be prouder to be leading a renewed TLDC. Whilst the company has waxed and waned many times since it was first established by Ralph Dodd in 1807, alongside the highly talented Gleann Mòr Spirits team, I am greatly looking forward to inspiring enthusiasts around the world to discover and appreciate both the past and the bright new future of TLDC.” 

In addition to his position leading TLDC, Matt will also support Gleann Mòr’s wider operations, including ‘Rare Find’ – the company’s highly regarded independently bottled whisky series. Drawing from his extensive knowledge and experience, Matt will support the Gleann Mòr team’s strategic growth aspirations and assist with broadening the visibility and appreciation of the company’s finest single malt whiskies and highest quality spirits.

The London Distillery Company: https://londondistillery.co.uk/

About Gleann Mòr Spirits 

We have a range of distinctively delicious premium drinks brands with an uncompromising approach to liquid creation and awesome branding.

Our Edinburgh HQ and stillhouse, includes a bottling facility on site, which enables us to get our products to market quickly and our development team is constantly on the look-out for emerging trends.

From our Rare Find cask releases, handpicked from the finest single malt distilleries across Scotland, to our extensive range of blended whisky, gins, rums and pre-mixed cocktails, we don’t compromise, and we don’t cut corners. So, when you are sipping one of our sublimely smooth and satisfying spirits, you’ll know it’s been made and selected to our exacting standards.

Our business began back in 2015 from the family kitchen, but today, we a have a production facility and Stillhouse where we produce and bottle unique, award-winning premium gins and other spirit products using modern distillation methods to preserve the richness of flavour and aromas together with the best ingredients to ensure every sip is something special.

www.gmspirits.com