Our Inaugural Release
Annandale Distillery re-started production on the evening of Sunday, November 2nd, 2014, after a hiatus of 96 years and a 3½ year (and ‘8 figure’) refurbishment and refit programme.
It’s almost impossible to describe the intense feeling of elation we experienced when our antique Porteous Mill (1964 ex-Caperdonich Distillery) rumbled back into life, grinding 2½ tonnes of unpeated malt into grist. The very next day, we mashed and fermented for the first time.
One week later, during the morning of Sunday, November 9th, Prof. David Thomson (Co-Founder of Annandale Distillery) and whisky legend, Dr Jim Swan, tasted the first few drops of spirit to be produced at Annandale for 96 years.
This was Man O’Words; our fruity, unpeated spirit.
Jim Swan’s verdict – “Gorgeous!”
This was thanks in no small part to Dr Swan’s innovative twin-spirit stills concept. We filled our very first barrel (Cask 2014/001) on Saturday, November 15th 2014 and threw a bit of a party to celebrate.
During the following two weeks, we produced our very first batch of Man O’Sword; our peated spirit (45 ppm phenolics). Scottish Rugby icon, the late Doddie Weir, filled the first cask (2014/040) on Monday, December 1st, 2014.
