InchDairnie Distillery

In 2016 it began distilling its own single malt using only Fife barley.² Spring barley makes the spring and summer spirit, and winter barley the autumn and winter spirit, each fermented with its own yeast recipe.² In 2017 it first distilled KinGlassie, a well-peated single malt, and RyeLaw, a whisky made from malted rye and barley.^2,8 It distilled an oat spirit in 2019, quite possibly a first in Scotland, and a wheat spirit and a sour mash spirit in 2021.² In 2022 it distilled 6 row winter barley and Dark Kilned Barley, which is normally used only to brew dark ales.²

In August 2021 the owning firm, John Fergus & Co Limited, changed its name to InchDairnie Distillery Limited.⁵ In 2022 it bought almost 11 acres at Osprey Road, Glenrothes, and committed £18 million to a bonded warehouse development for maturing whisky.^8,9,10 In April 2024 Ian Palmer announced he would hand over as managing director to Scott Sneddon, who had been there since it was a green field site.¹¹ An expansion finished in October 2024 added a wash still, a spirit still, 3 outdoor fermentation tanks and 4 bonded warehouses.^9,12,13 The work was set to double capacity from 2 to 4 million litres of alcohol a year and ready the site to switch from natural gas to green hydrogen.^8,9,12 On 1 May 2025 the owner merged with MacDuff International, maker of Islay Mist and Lauder's, to form InchDairnie Whisky Ltd, with Ian Palmer as chairman.¹

Its water comes from the Flowers of May and Goathill springs.^3,8 Fermentation lasts about 60 hours, with the time varying by season, in stainless steel washbacks that stand outdoors.^2,3,4 The wort, or sugary water from the mash, is more concentrated than normal, which the distillery says creates more flavour compounds called esters.^2,3,4 It has 2 wash stills and 2 spirit stills.^4,8 The stills are heated with steam, and the spirit is double distilled.^3,4,14 A thermal vapour re-compressor recycles 35% of that heat back into the still.^3,4 Each still has two shell and tube condensers, which turn vapour back into spirit, and the extra copper contact removes more sulphury compounds.^3,4 Whiskypedia says the condensers help create a light, aromatic spirit, while news reports at its opening called the house style full-bodied and complex.^3,6,7

Sources

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