Glasgow and Whisky?

Glasgow probably isn’t the first place you think of in relation to Scotch whisky. Whisky’s image revolves around the mountains and glens of the Highlands, or the rocky coves and peat bogs of the islands. However, Glasgow’s whisky story is a fascinating tale in its own right, with many exciting chapters still to be written.

It’s certainly true that Glasgow has come through something of a dark period when it comes to whisky, but come through it has and the amber light now shines brightly on a rejuvenated city with new distilleries, world class bars, exciting restaurants and excellent shops all spreading the good word. What of the country’s visitors, however. Do they have an appreciation for everything Glasgow could offer them?

People from all over the world are drawn to Scotland. Some yearn for the atmospheric streets of Edinburgh, others crave the dramatic landscape of Glencoe. Some seek adventure on the NC500 or walk until their feet hurt on the West Highland Way. Then there are the Whisky Lovers who make the pilgrimage to Speyside, Islay and Campbeltown but what of Glasgow? From personal experience, the majority of visitors bypass this fair city and those who make it are only passing through.

An Image Problem?

It’s partly an image problem. Glasgow has long held a reputation as a tough city and there may be some truth to that – like any major city, it has some issues. Yet Glasgow is also a city of change. It’s a town with a hangover, cautiously clawing its way from the wreckage of its industrial past, all the while painfully struggling to come to terms with its own identity.

There is one thing that never changes about Glasgow, however: the people. Despite the city’s tough, abrasive exterior, many find it to be one of the warmest (metaphorically) places on the planet. As a people, Glaswegians are overwhelmingly friendly and welcoming. They are ready to embark on a lengthy conversation and share a laugh with anyone and everyone. The city likes to enjoy itself and all are welcome to come along for the ride.

I saw a great example of the Glasgow spirit in the brilliant Pot Still bar one evening. It was a Saturday night and the place was wall-to-wall busy. There was no seat to be had for our wee group anywhere but a couple took pity and invited us to join them at their table. When they learned we had just come from a whisky tasting, the man got excited. Within minutes he was thrusting his glass towards me, demanding I take a sip “See what you think of that!”. That, for me, sums up Glasgow. It’s a place where strangers share a drink together without a second thought. Sometimes, even from the same glass.

More fun than an Edinburgh wedding…

“You’ll have more fun at a Glasgow funeral than you will at an Edinburgh wedding.”

An old saying that Glaswegians will tell at any and every opportunity. One evening I was chatting to an American family in the Piper Bar and they described finding Glasgow so much cheerier than Edinburgh. Naturally, I broke out the aforementioned quote. They liked and related to it so much that they asked if they could record me saying it, so they could play it for their friends back home.

It’s important to note that any rivalry with Edinburgh is, on our part at least, absolutely friendly. The capital is a beautiful city and a must-see for any visitor to Scotland but that American family were a great example of the point I’m trying to make. They were surprised by how much they enjoyed being in Glasgow. They visited as an afterthought, because they had a free day in their itinerary but left wishing they could stay longer. The city simply hadn’t been on their radar beforehand.

Whisky Connections

The length and depth of Glasgow’s whisky history might also take a few people by surprise. When I first developed an interest in the subject, the only functioning distillery in the city was the Strathclyde grain plant on the south bank of the River Clyde. The closest thing we had to a Glasgow single malt was Auchentoshan in East Dunbartonshire. However, a look at the history books will show a diverse array of distilleries that once called this city home.

Names like Anderston, Bridgeton, Calton, Doghillock, Camlachie, Provanmill, Haghill, Kennyhill, Tradeston, Town’s Mill and Woodfoot have largely been lost to the mists of time but there are others that left more of an impression.

The modern-day independent bottler, Adelphi, has found a devoted following for its Ardnamurchan distillery but how many of its fans are aware that the company name comes from Adelphi Street in Glasgow, the address of the original Loch Katrine Adelphi distillery that operated between 1825 and 1907.

Then there’s Dundashill and Yoker, a pair of distilleries established in 1770 by the Harvey family, a distilling dynasty that also built Bruichladdich in Islay. Dundashill was a distillery of epic proportions, likely the biggest in Europe at one time. It closed in 1903. Yoker followed in 1928.

Virtually next door to Dundashill was Port Dundas, a sizable grain distillery run by Diageo. For many years, I worked in the Cowcaddens area and my morning walk to work was accompanied by the smell of the mash cooking away in Port Dundas. That smell disappeared in 2010, ever to return.

With the closure of Port Dundas, Strathclyde was left to fly the flag alone. The Chivas-owned grain plant had once housed a distillery-within-a-distillery, known as Kinclaith. It produced malt whisky until 1975 but was never bottled. There would be no further malt production for four decades.

New Beginnings…

The city’s malt famine finally ended with the arrival of Glasgow Distillery in 2015. That was followed in 2017 by the Clydeside. A year later, Douglas Laing announced plans to build their own distillery, though that project seems to have been shelved, for the time being at least. Eight miles from the city centre lies the new town of East Kilbride, home since 2020, to Jackton Distillery.

In addition to the three distilleries, there are blenders, bottlers and specialist retailers, not to mention some of the best whisky bars in the world. Add them to the city’s vibrant restaurant culture and cutting-edge music scene and you have quite the package.

A visit to Glasgow may not be the most traditional of whisky adventures but it might be the most fun and there’s only one way to find out.

Scotland’s largest city is Scotch whisky’s best kept secret.