Kinclaith 40 years 1969 - 2009 #301445

Tasting notes by Serge Valentin (WhiskyFun.com) 87/100

One of the rarest Lowlanders ever. Kinclaith used to be sheltered within the Strathclyde complex, and has only been working between 1957 and 1975. In a way, it is the same story as that of Ladyburn at Girvan or Glenflagler at Moffat/Garnheath. Naturally, this is single malt whisky.

Colour: gold.

Nose: well, this is a little odd, if I may. New plastics (when you order some cheap junk from Wish), turnips, moist cigars, Marmite, morels, Swiss cheese, manzanilla, artichokes… But it tends to become rounder and straighter, and more on chocolate cake, walnut cake, and porcini cream. Utterly love porcini cream, don’t you?

Mouth: a little weird. Pine wood, mint cordial, loads of cardamom and cloves, black Chinese mushrooms, prune liqueur, sloe, then dried parsley, raw cocoa and coffee… It’s all very dry and pretty unusual. Some charcoal as well, eating your cigar (which is not the point, as you probably know)… The hogshead may have been rebuilt using older wood that may have sheltered some bone-dry amontillado, way before 1969. Just a theory out of the blue, my friend.

Finish: medium, rather better focused, with the traditional Seville oranges and more walnuts in the aftertaste.

Comments: it’s a little embarrassing to judge such a rare old malt. I mean, who am I? Will I ever try another Kinclaith that I haven’t tried yet? Existential questions…

Kinclaith Distillery

Kinclaith Distillery was uniquely located within the extensive Strathclyde Distillery in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1957 by Schenley International, Kinclaith was a rare sight, being a single malt distillery within a grain distillery complex.

Kinclaith's history is short but intriguing. The distillery operated for only 18 years and was closed and dismantled in 1975 to make way for the expansion of Strathclyde's grain production. This makes Kinclaith one of the most obscure and least known single malt distilleries in Scottish whisky history.

A specific feature of Kinclaith was the production of a very limited amount of single malt whisky, largely intended for blends, making pure Kinclaith bottlings extremely rare. Kinclaith whisky was known for its smooth, floral and slightly fruity character, with delicate notes of honey and vanilla. Today, the few remaining bottles of Kinclaith are treasured by collectors and offer a rare glimpse into a unique piece of whisky history.

Please note

This bottle was bottled a long time ago. Please be careful when opening. The closure may have deteriorated. The item is sold as photographed and described. We do not accept any liability for the condition of the closure.