Bladnoch Distillery
Spirit of the Lowlands
About Bladnoch
Scotland’s most southerly distillery nestles
on the green banks of the River Bladnoch,
from which it takes its name. Located in
this beautifully remote area of Galloway,
the distillery has been producing the
“Spirit of the Lowlands” since 1817.
The distillery was founded
by John and Thomas McClelland in 1817 and
during the period 1823 - 1826 produced
28,956 gallons of whisky, an average of
7,239 gallons per annum, and in the year
1826 - 1827 this had risen to 9,792 gallons.
By 1845 twenty workers,
exclusive of tradesmen, were employed in
converting 16,000 bushels of barley per
annum into spirit. In 1878 the distillery
was enlarged and modernised, presumably to
cope with rising production. By 1887 the
site occupied 2 acres with a further
50 acres being farmed by the proprietor, who
was the son and nephew of the founders; the
output had risen considerably to 51,000
gallons per annum.
During the 1890's
"misfortunes" which
are not specified
struck the
distilling industry;
these could have
been the reduction
nation-wide in the
production of
barley, a possible
rise in excise duty
and the growth of
the various
temperance
movements. The other
distilleries in
Galloway were forced
to close but
Bladnoch survived.
Between 1911 and
1937 it was owned by
Wm Dunville & Co.
Ltd, an Irish
company, and on the
outbreak of World
War II whisky
production ceased,
but malt continued
to be produced until
1949 when the
distillery closed
until 1957.
Upon re-opening
under new ownership
whisky production
began again and
continued under a
number of different
owners until 1983
when Bell's took
over and initiated a
programme of
modernisation and
computerisation. In
1987 the United
Distillers Group
took over Bell's and
continued the
modernisation as a
result of which the
weekly production
rose to over 8,000
gallons, more than
eight times the
output in 1887.
The distillery was
bought by Irishman
Raymond Armstrong in
1996. His astounding
energy has seen
Bladnoch emerge from
enforced silence
into steaming,
flowing production.
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