At the same time, some small producers continue to operate quietly, flying under the radar of whisky enthusiasts. With that in mind, here are five scotch whiskies from distilleries you may not have heard of—some lost to time, others still crafting whisky today.
Lochside
Distillery Status: Demolished
Bottling: Lochside 1959 31 Year Old Signatory Vintage
Lochside Distillery, now sadly demolished, was located on the East Coast of Scotland in Montrose. Originally founded as a brewery in 1786, Lochside was converted into a distillery in 1967 by Joseph Hobbs. Hobbs was the owner of Ben Nevis Distillery.
The distillery was best known in its early life for its Sandy McNab blend. After Hobbs’ death in 1964, the distillery was run by his son until it was sold to DyC (a Spanish distiller) in 1973. After being acquired by Allied Distillers in the 1990s, Lochside was deemed surplus to requirements and subsequently closed.
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Lochside’s presence in Montrose was defined by its imposing white tower, which was something of a landmark until the distillery’s demolition in 2005.
This Lochside whisky is a true time capsule, having been distilled just two years after the distillery’s opening in 1959. Matured for 31 years, the whisky was bottled in March 1991 from a single cask #5295. Lochside is very rarely seen as a single malt, and even more rarely seen as a single cask expression. Bottled by Signatory Vintage in one of its iconic ‘dumpy’ bottlings, this Lochside is a rare gem for any scotch whisky enthusiast. It has sold at auction just 11 documented times.
You can purchase this incredibly rare scotch on The Whiskey Wash Shop for $4,073.
Linkwood
Distillery Status: Working
Bottling: SMWS 39.27 Linkwood 1989 10 Year Old
Linkwood may not be a household name, but it has a long and storied history. Founded in 1821 by Peter Brown near Elgin, it began production in 1824 after the Excise Act. Brown’s son, William, rebuilt the distillery in 1874, and in 1932, it was acquired by DCL (now Diageo), which still owns it today.
The 1970s brought expansion, with a new distillery built alongside the old one. However, like many, Linkwood struggled in the 1980s, leading to the original plant’s closure. Rather than letting it go to waste, Diageo used the site for experimental distilling, researching copper, reflux, and worm tubs.
Despite its understated presence, Linkwood continues to receive major investment. In 2012, the old site was demolished, and the distillery underwent a major upgrade. With its large production capacity and ongoing development, some believe Linkwood is poised for a bigger role in the whisky market—watch this space.
This Linkwood whisky was distilled in 1989 and bottled in 1999 by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), which prides itself on bottling exceptional single casks of scotch whisky. It is also bottled at a staggering 60.9% ABV.
Our American readers might notice that it also says ‘106.5 proof’. This is an interesting example of the difference between U.S. proof and UK proof. U.S. proof is twice the ABV, whereas UK proof is 1.75 times the ABV.
You can buy this quirky Linkwood on The Whiskey Wash Shop for $570.
Dufftown
Distillery Status: Working
Bottling: Dufftown 8 Year Old 1970s
You may have heard of Dufftown Distillery without even realizing it. And, you may have tasted it too. Since 2006, Dufftown has been part of The Singleton family. The Singleton is one of the largest single malt scotch whisky brands in the U.S., and bottles whisky from Dufftown, Glendullan, and Glen Ord. Before it became part of The Singleton, however, Dufftown was a longstanding distillery in Speyside.
The distillery began as a mill and was converted in 1896 by Mackenzie & Co. In 1933, Dufftown was purchased by Arthur Bell & Sons, of Bell’s Blended Scotch fame. As a result, the whisky became a key component in the Bell’s blend, and remains so today.
In 1985, Bell’s was purchased by Guinness, which later merged into DCL and became Diageo in 1997.
Today, Dufftown is bottled under The Singleton brand as ‘The Singleton of Dufftown’. As mentioned above, The Singleton has gained traction in the U.S. in recent years, with Glen Ord being the primary expression. However, there is every chance that Dufftown will begin to grow across the Atlantic as well.
This fascinating Dufftown whisky was bottled prior to the distillery’s acquisition by Guinness. Bottled at 8 years old sometime in the 1970s, this is a fascinating example of the old Dufftown whisky, a relic from a Speyside distillery that continues to fly under the radar.
Purchase it now on The Whiskey Wash Shop for $425.
Glenury Royal
Distillery Status: Demolished
Bottling: Glenury Royal 1966 23 Year Old Cadenheads
The story of Glenury Royal begins in the early 1820s when a distillery was established on the Ury estate by the Duke of Gordon, a key figure behind the 1823 Excise Act that paved the way for legal whisky production. That distillery was short-lived, destroyed by fire—whether by accident or the hand of illicit distillers opposed to the Duke’s reforms remains unknown.
Not long after, around 1825, Captain Robert Barclay, the Laird of Ury, founded what would become Glenury Royal. Barclay’s eccentricity added to the distillery’s early reputation. He retained ownership until 1858, when it was sold to William Ritchie.
In 1938, American interests entered the scene as Joseph Hobbs acquired Glenury Royal for Train & Macintyre, the UK arm of National Distillers of America. The distillery closed during World War II and, by 1953, DCL (now Diageo) took control. Expansion in the 1960s briefly revived its fortunes, but like many distilleries, Glenury Royal succumbed to the downturn of the 1980s.
By the time whisky demand resurged, it was too late—Glenury Royal had been demolished, its land repurposed for housing. Today, only a handful of rare bottlings remain to tell the tale of this lost Highland distillery.
I have a particular affinity for Cadenhead ‘dumpies’ such as this one, thanks to the often mythical whiskies that lie inside. This Glenury Royal whisky was distilled in 1966, in the later part of the distillery’s life, and bottled in 1990 after its closure at 52.7% ABV.
Bottles such as this only become rarer day by day, and this Cadenhead bottling represents a scarce opportunity to own single malt from Glenury Royal Distillery.
This Glenury Royal is available now for $5,057.
Convalmore
Distillery Status: Demolished
Bottling: Convalmore-Glenlivet 1977 20 Year Old Cadenheads Authentic Collection
Convalmore stands as a forgotten name, despite surviving longer than many of its Victorian-era contemporaries. Founded in 1893/4 during whisky’s last great boom of the 19th century, the distillery quickly ran into financial trouble. Ownership passed to W.P. Lowrie, a leading Glasgow blender, and later to James Buchanan, whose Black & White blend had global reach. This ensured Convalmore’s survival, even as other new distilleries faltered.
A fire in 1909 led to a rebuild that included both traditional pot stills and an experimental continuous still designed for malt whisky. This pioneering design, however, lasted only five years. When Buchanan’s merged with DCL in 1925, Convalmore became part of Scottish Malt Distillers (SMD), DCL’s malt whisky division.
The distillery underwent a major expansion in 1964. Yet, like many, it fell victim to the whisky downturn of the 1980s and was mothballed in 1985.
In the late 20th century, William Grant & Sons purchased the site, which sits beside The Balvenie and Glenfiddich distilleries. Though Convalmore’s buildings still stand, all equipment has been removed, marking the silent end of yet another Dufftown legend.
This Convalmore whisky was also bottled by Cadenhead as part of the independent bottler’s Authentic Collection, a range of independently bottled, cask-strength, non-chill-filtered single malt and single grain whiskies, known for their natural presentation and focus on showcasing individual cask character.
Distilled in 1977 and bottled after Convalmore’s demise following 20 years of maturation, the bottle also displays the Glenlivet suffix — another relic from scotch whisky times gone by. You can purchase it now for $1,633.
