It’s been a few months since we last spoke and lots has been going on – not least the release of the Casks Of Lindores Oloroso Sherry Butt. We disgorged eighteen first-fill sherry butts, then diluted to our bottling strength of 49.4%. It’s a beautiful dram that rounds off the trilogy of the three casks we use at Lindores; if you haven’t yet had a chance to try it I strongly recommend you do.

October in the distillery is a great month and although I tempt fate, it’s possibly the easiest month to make spirit. The water temp and ambient temp are perfect and the process just hums.

Lorena , our blender, has been busy. Her nose and taste are used to give appraisal of private casks, a service that is well received. At the moment she is also evaluating where our core product MCDXCIV is on its journey of maturity. It’s amazing to observe a cask as it gains maturation in its early years – and then how big the subsequent changes. From 3yo to a 4yo is a huge jump. We know that the STR gives early maturation, so we have to make sure that our blend ratio of the three casks is correct to keep our chosen balance, so that a single type of cask does not become too dominant. Everything is calibrated against the highly discriminating measure of Lorena’s nose!

Last but not least in the team Colin and Charles strive to keep the quality of the spirit at the high standard we expect, whilst ensuring the yields of spirit are where we set our targets. All of that against the fact that everything is getting more expensive; it’s the old adage of getting balance between quality / quantity / cost. All three are directly linked, but the ethos at Lindores is that the quality of the spirit MUST always remain. Drew made this promise a few years ago and it’s a promise we will always want to keep.

Next month we should be able to tell you about our next special run of malt; and also some other things we are looking at to keep us progressive while still ensuring that the past informs the future. Until then stay safe, stay well!

Slàinte
Gary Haggart
Distillery Manager