John Crabbie’s Chain Pier Distillery Kicks Off Its Inaugural Scotch Relase

by Gary Carter
February 17, 2022

John Crabbie & Co is set for its inaugural release of just 234 Scotch single malt bottles from its Chain Pier Distillery in Edinburgh.

The first single malt to be produced in Edinburgh for nearly a hundred years, Chain Pier Single Malt is the first release from the Granton-based site, which was set up by Halewood Artisanal Spirits as an experimental pilot distillery while the larger Bonnington distillery for Crabbie Whisky was still under construction.

Matured in heavily charred virgin American oak casks and bottled at 57% ABV, the distiller’s notes show that Chain Pier Single Malt is light and fruity on the nose with hints of berries, forest fruits and green apples.

It offers caramel and sweet malt as well as ginger spice on the palate, rounded off with a long, sweet and spicy finish.

James Stocker, marketing director at Halewood Artisanal Spirits, explained in a prepared statement that the Chain Pier distillery was operational for just a year (between 2018 and 2019).

“Yet it gave our team a great opportunity to continue John Crabbie’s legacy of innovation – handcrafting unique distillations and trying everything from malt types to custom casks. The launch of the Chain Pier Single Malt is an incredibly exciting step in the John Crabbie & Co journey, as the malt whisky that we crafted from start to finish at a site of our own.”

He said the quality of the liquid he feels is a testament to the distilling team and Master Blender Kirstie McCallum. It also serves as a preview of what’s to come from the Crabbie whisky brand.

Over the year that the Chain Pier Distillery was operational, there was a yield of only 39 casks. It was all distilled on site using a 500 liter copper pot still, and will be available to order from specialty whisky shops and thedropstore.com for a suggested retail price of £65.