{"title":"Lowland Whisky","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Lowland whisky region traditionally encompasses the heavily populated central belt of Scotland including Edinburgh, Glasgow and everything in-between, before heading south until you reach the border with England. The boundary also moves north beyond Fife and towards the fringes of Perthshire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn paper then it’s a huge area, featuring Scotland’s most densely populated areas and the farming landscapes of Fife and the Borders. However, thanks to a series of closures in the 1980’s that put an end to famous names such as Rosebank, Littlemill, Inverleven, and Linlithgow, the number of Lowland distilleries became dangerously thin on the ground; comprising of Auchentoshan, Glenkinchie and Bladnoch. This number was supplemented by a handful of grain distilleries including Cameronbridge, Girvan and North British, but it took until a new millennium for the green shoots of recovery to appear. Distilleries such as Ailsa Bay and Daftmill were established and as the demand for Scottish whisky continued to grow more names such as Annandale, Eden Mill, InchDairnie and Kingsbarns have swelled the ranks. The revitalisation of the Lowland region continues with new distilleries planned for Edinburgh, Glasgow, Falkirk and many more besides. One of the most intriguing distilleries is at Lindores Abbey, the site of the first recorded reference to whisky in Scotland.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistory shows us that the Lowland region was once the distilling hotbed of the Scottish industry predating Speyside and Islay, back to an era prior with over 200 individual distilleries listed. The largest were Kennetpans and Kilbagie that by the 1730’s were situated near the banks of the River Forth. This allowed them to ship their wares in cask form to the regional cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and further south. These were the first distilleries to operate on an epic scale, moving from the farms and cottages of illicit stills as the industrial revolution approached. Records show that at their height these 2 distilleries paid more tax combined than the whole of Scotland for land tax. Unfortunately, it was the introduction of a tax increase and prohibiting exports to England that bankrupted these 2 behemoths and other distilleries reliant on trade in 1788. It wasn’t until the Excise Act in 1823 that the legal Scottish whisky industry began to recover. Whilst Kilbagie has been lost to time, parts of Kennetpans still remain and the drive to restore and protect what is an important site are underway.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the Lowland region as we know it today, commenced in the 1800’s. Its success was assisted by strong transport links compared to elsewhere in Scotland and the widespread growing of various grains in fertile soils across the region. This leant itself well to the popularity of blended whiskies as blenders could at central locations receive casks and ship the finished production with relative ease. Being based in the major population centres was one of the main reasons for the downfall of Lowland distilleries. Rosebank and Linlithgow may have been established on the fringes of their respective towns but the growth of these population centres meant that the distillery sites became surrounded over time. Rosebank for instance was encircled and fenced in by a busy road and a canal; the very things that made its location attractive originally were to ultimately prove its downfall. With several distilleries requiring modernisation and expansion, the then owners in the 1980’s with the decline of whisky demand, had to revisit their distilleries and make a series of difficult decisions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany were deemed surplus to requirements and the valuable land sold on for other uses. Linlithgow (also known as St Magdalene) was partially saved as residential housing, whilst Rosebank still stands empty. For a long period, the only single malts from this region were Auchentoshan and the occasional Glenkinchie, with Bladnoch near Wigtown suffering bouts of inactivity. For such a historical region, it was a sad state of affairs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTraditionally Lowland whiskies are light and fruity with a degree of complexity enhanced by old methods such as floor malting, flavourful yeast strains and direct fired stills. Many of these components have been lost, the new distilleries on the horizon are actively seeking to revive the Lowland style. Whilst many of the distilleries in the 1950’s age practiced a form of triple distillation which only Auchentoshan today continues, the new generation are seeking to unlock the floral characteristics with apples and pears. Lowland examples are quite often described as a starter or introductory whisky. Glenkinchie is often referred to as a breakfast whisky; such is its modest nature and engaging lightness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, the Lowlands are Scotland’s most intriguing whisky region. Daftmill has yet to bottle despite producing its first spirit in 2005 and what’s maturing within its warehouses is excellent. With Eden Mill and Kingsbarns due to bottle their first whiskies in 2018, it’s an exciting time for the region and fans of this style of whisky.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"daftmill-12-year-old-2007-cask-043-aw-exclusive","title":"Daftmill 12 Year Old - 2007 | Cask 043\/2007 | AW Exclusive","description":"\u003cp\u003eDistilled Summer 2007 from barley grown in the south fields, harvested in the last week of August 2006. Filled into cask 10th December 2007 and matured for 12 years in a first fill, ex-Heaven Hill bourbon barrel. Bottled in 2020, 207 bottles filled at natural cask strength, 57.1% vol.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Daftmill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":37386428842179,"sku":"AW03111","price":299.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0471\/7903\/8881\/files\/daftmill-2007-cask-043-private.jpg?v=1767716233"},{"product_id":"eden-mill-hogmanay-2016-us-virgin-oak-spirit","title":"Eden Mill Hogmanay 2016 US Virgin Oak Spirit - 20cl","description":"Eden Mill new make spirit matured in a US virgin oak cask for 2 years. Eden Mill Hogmanay a 20cl bottle filled at 43% vol, a lovely presentation that includes an Eden Mill branded tasting glass.","brand":"Eden Mill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40631335157955,"sku":"AW03462","price":65.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0471\/7903\/8881\/products\/eden-mill-us-virgin-oak-hogmanay-2016.jpg?v=1631184386"},{"product_id":"eden-mill-burns-day-2017-us-virgin-oak-spirit","title":"Eden Mill Burns Day 2017 US Virgin Oak Spirit","description":"Eden Mill new make spirit matured in a US virgin oak cask for 2 years. Eden Mill Burns Day 2017, a 20cl bottle filled at 43% vol, a lovely presentation that includes an Eden Mill branded tasting glass.","brand":"Eden Mill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40640786858179,"sku":"AW03464","price":65.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0471\/7903\/8881\/products\/eden-mill-us-virgin-oak-burns-day-2017.jpg?v=1631296822"},{"product_id":"lindores-2018-cask-180591-aw-exclusive","title":"Lindores Abbey Single Cask 591 | Abbey Whisky Exclusive","description":"\u003cp\u003eFollowing on from our exceptional Daftmill exclusive, we're excited to release our second Lowland single cask hailing from our home region of Fife. Presenting Lindores cask 591, our latest Abbey Whisky Exclusive. You might recall our recent \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.abbeywhisky.com\/blogs\/blog\/friday-focus-lindores-abbey-distillery\" title=\"Friday Focus - Lindores Abbey Whisky Distillery | Abbey Whisky\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eFriday Focus\u003c\/a\u003e feature about our visit to Lindores Abbey Distillery with its historical connection to whisky. We were so impressed with the work going on at the distillery and the quality of the spirit being produced that when presented with the opportunity to bottle our own cask, we jumped at the chance. And what a beauty of a cask it is…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #be0000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhisky Magazine Recommended Award - Issue 189\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #be0000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRated 87\/100 - Whiskynotes.be\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lindores Abbey","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43557494161627,"sku":"AW03886","price":75.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0471\/7903\/8881\/files\/lindores-2018-cask-180591-aw-exclusive.jpg?v=1710847943"},{"product_id":"lindores-abbey-single-cask-591-abbey-whisky-exclusive-10cl-gift-sample","title":"Lindores Abbey Single Cask 591 | AW Exclusive - 10cl Sample Gift Set","description":"\u003cp\u003eA great opportunity to sample our award winning \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.abbeywhisky.com\/products\/lindores-2018-cask-180591-aw-exclusive\" title=\"Lindores Abbey Single Cask 591 | Abbey Whisky Exclusive (With Branded Tasting Glass!)\"\u003esingle cask\u003c\/a\u003e exclusive from Lindores Abbey distillery in this delightful 10cl offering. This superb and highly rated dram was fully matured in an Oloroso sherry butt, then bottled at natural cask strength, without chill filtration or additional colouring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis gift set includes a 10cl bottle of Lindores Single Cask 591 along with branded tasting glass to enjoy this whisky with. With Father's Day fast approaching this could be the ideal gift set for that special person in your life.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lindores Abbey","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55434973348213,"sku":"AW04652","price":19.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0471\/7903\/8881\/files\/lindores-cask-591-aw-exclusive-10cl-gift-set.jpg?v=1748953347"},{"product_id":"lindores-abbey-single-cask-591-aw-exclusive-10cl-sample","title":"Lindores Abbey Single Cask 591 | AW Exclusive - 10cl Sample","description":"\u003cp\u003eA great opportunity to sample our award winning \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.abbeywhisky.com\/products\/lindores-2018-cask-180591-aw-exclusive\" title=\"Lindores Abbey Single Cask 591 | Abbey Whisky Exclusive (With Branded Tasting Glass!)\"\u003esingle cask\u003c\/a\u003e exclusive from Lindores Abbey distillery in this delightful 10cl offering. This superb and highly rated dram was fully matured in an Oloroso sherry butt, then bottled at natural cask strength, without chill filtration or additional colouring.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lindores Abbey","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55450022248821,"sku":"AW04654","price":14.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0471\/7903\/8881\/files\/lindores-cask-591-aw-exclusive-10cl.jpg?v=1748986885"},{"product_id":"daftmill-2006-single-cask-048-2006-taiwan-exclusive","title":"Daftmill 2006 - Single Cask 048\/2006 | Taiwan Exclusive","description":"\u003cp\u003eA beautifully rare single cask release from Daftmill Distillery, bottled exclusively for the Taiwanese market. Distilled on 31st July 2006 and matured in a first fill bourbon barrel for 12 years before being bottled in 2019 at its natural cask strength of 54.9%. The Chariot barley used for this vintage was harvested from the distillery’s Dam Park and Curling Pond fields on 31st August 2004 and malted by Robert Kilgour \u0026amp; Co. - among the last maltings completed in Fife before the company closed its doors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHand selected by Ho-cheng Yao, this single cask represents the first exclusive Daftmill bottling for Taiwan, with only 201 bottles filled from cask 048\/2006.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Daftmill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56236972966261,"sku":"AW04773","price":699.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0471\/7903\/8881\/files\/daftmill-2006-cask-048-2006-taiwan.jpg?v=1762302136"},{"product_id":"daftmill-13-year-old-2009-single-cask-26-uk-exclusive","title":"Daftmill 13 Year Old - 2009 | Single Cask 26 | UK Exclusive","description":"\u003cp\u003eA UK exclusive single cask Daftmill, released Spring 2023. Distilled in 2009 using Optic barley \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003egrown on the Daftmill South fields and malted in Alloa Summer 2007. Distilled in the Summer season of 2009 then matured on the ground floor of the dunnage warehouse at Daftmill in a first fill Oloroso sherry butt for 13 years. This UK exclusive Daftmill was bottled in 2022 at natural cask strength, 60.2% vol, with 630 bottles filled.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Daftmill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57077345419637,"sku":"AW04891","price":375.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0471\/7903\/8881\/files\/daftmill-13-year-old-2009-single-cask-26-uk-exclusive-whisky-private.jpg?v=1776371810"},{"product_id":"daftmill-2010-cask-strength-the-daftmill-distillery-unofficial-fans-group","title":"Daftmill 2010 Cask Strength - The Daftmill Distillery (unofficial fans group)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis rare Daftmill release was bottled in 2021 from five bourbon barrels, casks 046, 047, 050, 051 and 056 of 2010, after eleven years of maturation, and was made available exclusively to members of the Daftmill Distillery Unofficial Fans Group on Facebook. Bottled at natural cask strength, 59.5% Vol, without chill-filtration or colouring.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Daftmill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57214980161909,"sku":"AW04904","price":198.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0471\/7903\/8881\/files\/daftmill-cask-strength-unofficial-fans-group.jpg?v=1779318495"},{"product_id":"daftmill-12-year-old-2006-cask-39-2006-berry-bros-rudd","title":"Daftmill 12 Year Old - 2006 | Cask 39\/2006 - Berry Bros \u0026 Rudd","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Chariot barley used in this release was harvested from Daftmill's Dam Park and Curling Pond fields on 31st August 2004 and was among the last to be malted in Fife by Robert Kilgour \u0026amp; Co. before their closure. Filled into a sherry butt on 25th July 2006, this is one of only two sherry casks filled at Daftmill that year, bottled exclusively for Berry Bros \u0026amp; Rudd in 2019. 621 bottles at 57.4% ABV. Non-chill filtered and natural in colour.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Daftmill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57244163735925,"sku":"AW04910","price":450.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0471\/7903\/8881\/files\/daftmill-2006-cask-39-bbr.jpg?v=1780439757"},{"product_id":"daftmill-12-year-old-2007-cask-026-2007-kirsch-import-germany","title":"Daftmill 12 Year Old - 2007 | Cask 026\/2007 | Kirsch Import - Germany","description":"Optic barley grown in Daftmill's South fields, harvested in late August 2006 and stored on the farm before being malted in Alloa during the summer of 2007. Distilled in the winter season and filled into a first-fill ex-Heaven Hill bourbon barrel on 20th November 2007, this cask was selected by Kirsch Import for the German market and bottled in 2020.\n226 bottles at 58.2% ABV.","brand":"Daftmill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57244171862389,"sku":"AW04911","price":375.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0471\/7903\/8881\/files\/daftmill-cask-26-2007-kirsch.jpg?v=1780440638"},{"product_id":"daftmill-11-year-old-2009-cask-36-2009-berry-bros-rudd","title":"Daftmill 11 Year Old - 2009 | Cask 36\/2009 - Berry Bros \u0026 Rudd","description":"\u003cp\u003eOptic barley grown in Daftmill's South fields, harvested in late August 2006 and stored on the farm before being malted in Alloa during the summer of 2007. Distilled in the summer season and filled into a first-fill PX hogshead on 27th July 2009, this cask was selected by the Berry Bros \u0026amp; Rudd team and bottled exclusively for them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e321 bottles at 58.6% ABV.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Daftmill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57244173435253,"sku":"AW04912","price":450.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0471\/7903\/8881\/files\/daftmill-single-cask-36-bbr-exclusive.jpg?v=1780441453"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0471\/7903\/8881\/collections\/c6fce0d39f42343b8740bf3c97556a1f.jpg?v=1602545881","url":"https:\/\/www.abbeywhisky.com\/collections\/lowland\/abv-strength_58-2.oembed","provider":"Abbey Whisky","version":"1.0","type":"link"}