Carsebridge 1960-2002 - 42 Year Old - Chieftains - Single Cask 15010

Carsebridge was founded around the turn of the 19th century and operated initially as a Lowland malt whisky distillery until being converted to grain distillation in the 1850s. Carsebridge joined the fledgling grain whisky cartel Distillers Company Limited on its inauguration in 1877 and by the time of Alfred Barnard’s visit in 1886 was already producing around 6 million litres of grain spirit per annum. 

Carsebridge was damaged by a fire in 1902 but was rebuilt after the Great War, and the distillery was expanded in the 1950s and 1960s. Sadly, Carsebridge distillery was mothballed in the whisky crisis of 1983, with most of the buildings demolished in the 1990s. The first official bottling of Carsebridge was a 48-year-old in 2018’s Special Releases; independent Carsebridge is drying up but is usually great value and well worth trying if you can find it.

Founded in 1933, Ian Macleod Distillers are rather low profile despite being the 10th-largest Scotch whisky company in the world.  The company is one of the largest suppliers of own-brand whiskies to bulk markets, with a diverse range of proprietary and independent bottling brands including Smokehead, Chieftain’s Choice and Isle of Skye.  The company also produces a variety of gins, vodkas and rums including Edinburgh Gin.

Ian Macleod acquired the Glengoyne distillery and the Langs whisky brands in 2003, changing the company name to Ian Macleod Distillers. Tamdhu distillery was purchased in 2011 and relaunched in 2013, while in October 2017 it was announced that Ian Macleod Distillers had acquired and were rebuilding the lost Lowland distillery Rosebank - a stunning coup that gladdened the hearts of whisky fans the world over. Production at Rosebank is scheduled to recommence in summer 2022.