Annandale Visit 16/07/2016

We had a day out with friends yesterday, to use our free 'Founders' tour tickets at 'The Lakes' Distillery, and while in the area we thought we would nip up the M6 and also visit Annandale Distillery.



We had done the tour at the Lakes and then stopped for something to eat in their excellent Bistro before deciding to head to Annandale, so only just made it onto the last tour of the day at 4pm, booking en route by phone!

The Distillery is only 10 miles inside the Scottish border, and has been very well renovated, retaining much of the original character, at a not unsubstantial total cost of £10.5M GBP, the standard tour includes a brief history of the original Distillery and an in-depth explanation of the rebirth, a chance to view the original foundations of the 2 stills - now in the courtyard - and to see photographs of how far the Distillery had decayed before the renovation, plus pictures of the renovation itself.

The tour then moved to the Malt store / Milling room, pretty standard stuff, 4 storage bins of pre-malted barley, 2 for peated and 2 for unpeated malt. Next through the old kiln into the Still House, a single stainless steel mash tun with a copper cover, 6 lovely Pine washbacks all fitted with automatic switch and extractor fans, running 6 days a week and then the 3 Stills, a reasonably large wash still, tall with long swan neck line arm descending to an external condenser, next to 2 smaller identical spirit stills.



Currently the stills are running 6 days a week, with the first spirit officially becoming whisky in 2017/8.

Next on to the Bonded warehouse, with another Princess Royal Cask being displayed - she seems to have these almost everywhere! - and some of their 'Man o' Words' and 'Man O' War' spirit aging in them - War being for Robert the Bruce and peated to 45ppm, and Words being for Mr Burns who worked locally and unpeated. The current plan is to aim for the whisky to be bottled at 10YO, but deending on needs they will probably produce a 3YO, a 5 YO and an 8YO, all of which may be interesting to try on the way to their 10YO. We got the chance to try both of their Rascally Liquor, both being young, high alcohol and decent enough, but the samples were a tiny sip each, certainly nothing to allow you a chance to understand the nuances of the produces spirit - I can understand the need not to give away all of the profits to those doing the tour, but how are you going to encourage us to back you with our interest and our cash if you skimp on the tastings?

Single Casks are available to purchase, at £2100 for unpeated and £2300 for peated, although this is pre tax, so there are extra costs for bottling, transportation and for the duty due on the amount of spirit taken, all of which is expected to be from 10 YO, tempting at that price, but do I really need 400+ bottles of one type of whisky that is as yet untried?

They have also have a decent café and a few bits and pieces for sale, along with their 'Rascally Spirit' liquor - basically vatted spirit from their casks in both peated and unpeated form - decent enough tasting, but expensive at £16.95 for 20cl. They also have some independent bottlings and 'Scottish Leader' Blended Whisky for sale.

Overall the restoration has been very well done, the tour was ok, the guide knew his stuff, but it was not anything special, I am glad we took the time to visit, but wont return until they actually have some of their own Whisky for sale.