Littlemill Scotch Whisky
Littlemill Scotch whisky distillery was officially established in 1772 on the site of a 14th century brewery. It is quite possibly the oldest Lowland distillery with roots going back to 1750 when George Buchan, a Glasgow Maltmaster purchased the estate of Littlemill.
Littlemill Distillery has seen many un-documented owners in its long 200-year history.
Closed in 1813, five years later Matthew Clark & Co. bought the distillery, followed by Peter MacGregor in 1821.
1823 saw the commencement of the Excise Act, and the first licensee for Littlemill was Jane MacGregor, who is said to have been one of the first women distillers in Scotland. She retained Littlemill until 1839.
Until the 1930's the traditional triple distillation technique of the Lowlands was used, they switched to double distillation when Duncan G. Thomas, an American citizen, took over in 1931 forming the Littlemill Distillery Co. Ltd.
He also clad the copper pot stills in aluminium and fitted rectifying columns instead of the customary swan-necks that are on pot-stills. This combined pot- and column-still elements; Thomas was trying to produce a hybrid spirit that would age faster.
Littlemill was closed in 1984. The distillery was modernised and reopened in 1989 by Gibson International.
Production stopped again in 1992 and in 1994 Gibson International went into receivership. Glen Catrine Bonded Warehouses bought the distillery. The distillery was managed by the sister company, Loch Lomond Distillery Co Ltd.
The distillery remained silent. There were plans to re-build Littlemill into a tourist attraction with new houses and luxury flats as well as projects to turn the distillery into a museum. These ideas were finally abandoned and in 1996 and the equipment was dismantled
Finally on 4th September 2004 the main buildings were destroyed by fire.
Littlemill Whisky Tasting Notes
Distillery Style
Nose : Fresh, spicy and malty.
Palate : Light bodied. Sweet and spicy.
Finish : Light and delicate
