ESTABLISHED 1836 REBORN 2014
A SPIRIT REBORN
The rebirth of Annandale Distillery and its transformation into a 21st century whisky making centre and visitor attraction is Dumfries and Galloway’s most ambitious tourism story.
The historic distillery has been through 3 whisky making eras and a period when it was used in farming. It was formerly a Johnnie Walker distillery which closed in 1918. Following an extensive £10.5 million restoration project, Annandale Distillery was reborn in 2014, with production starting on 3rd November.
Annandale Distillery and Visitor Centre was officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal on 10th September 2015.
It’s been a while (90 years in fact) but the re-awakening of Annandale Distillery means that fine Single Malt Scotch whisky now flows again from Dumfries and Galloway.
For those who enjoy ‘thinking whisky’ as much as ‘drinking whisky’, we are a sophisticated Whisky Academy (virtual and actual).
When Annandale Distillery opened in 1836, Annan was an established embarkation port for emigrant Scots. As a tribute to these intrepid souls, the ‘A’ of Annandale is in the image of a billowing sail.
We hope that whisky lovers, people of Scottish origin from around the world and, indeed, anybody of good cheer will enjoy being part of Annandale Distillery’s future.
Our peated whisky will be known as Man o’Sword and our unpeated whisky as Man o’Words, in celebration of local icons, King Robert the Bruce (Scotland’s Warrior King and 7th Earl of Annandale) and Robert Burns (Scotland’s National Poet and Exciseman in Annandale), respectively.
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
We’re often asked why we took on the Annandale Distillery project. Most people seem to expect a rational and well-considered answer from two (hopefully) sane scientists-cum-business people, possibly alluding to return on investment, diversification of business interests and the like. Others expect to hear something about a lifelong dream or a passion for whisky, or something of the sort. Although both of these may have been contributing influences, the truth of the matter is rather different. Although he didn’t necessarily realise it at the time, David Thomson, being an ex-patriot Scot, was looking to do something that would anchor his life back to his native Scotland. Teresa Church, the other member of the founding duo, has an enduring passion for restoring old buildings. Through her visionary lens, the intrinsic beauty of Annandale’s historic buildings shone brightly through the dilapidation, the decay and the dereliction. For both of them, Annandale Distillery was a case of ‘love at first sight’…and every bit as irrational and unfathomable as that!
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