The archive

DISTILLED on 7th January 2014 and BOTTLED on 6th November 2024.

Our Christmas release for 2024. Matured in a hogshead and finished in an ex-Pedro Ximenez Octave for 6 months adding sweetness and a distinctly festive character.

Best Wishes to you and your family and we hope you share a dram with us to celebrate Christmas in style.

Tasting revealed - candied ginger, gingerbread with icing and cherry tart.

Samhain Pronounced "SOW - IN" The origins of Samhain are rooted in ancient. Each whisky in the Samhain Series tells a tale steeped in local legend, with evocative labels designed by Edinburgh-based artist and designer Steven Shand, who has over 13 years of experience in the Scottish whisky industry. Shand's intricate artwork and storytelling complement the atmospheric whiskies, capturing a haunting essence of Scotland's past.

●      ‘The Devil Checkmates the Wolf’

Alexander Stewart was born around 1343, son of King Robert II of Scotland. Alexander wielded considerable power and influence and was known as The Wolf of Badenoch. His most notorious of actions during the Wars of Scottish Independence was the burning of Elgin Cathedral. He was known for his aggressive and violent behaviour, often disregarding the law and acting with impunity.

According to legend, Stewart was visited at Ruthven Castle by a tall man dressed in black. The two played chess through the night, with a storm rising when the stranger called "Check" and "Check Mate". The legend says that the next morning the Wolf of Badenoch was found dead in the castle's hall, with his men dead outside the castle walls.

Samhain Pronounced "SOW - IN" The origins of Samhain are rooted in ancient. The series tells a tale steeped in local legend, with evocative labels designed by Edinburgh-based artist and designer Steven Shand, who has over 13 years of experience in the Scottish whisky industry. Shand's intricate artwork and storytelling complement the atmospheric whiskies, capturing a haunting essence of Scotland's past.

●      ‘The Each Uisge of the River Spey’

Almost every large body of water in Scotland has tales of water horses, demons or spirits, and the River Spey is no different.

The Each Uisge is said to be far more malevolent than the Kelpie.

Witnesses describe a horse-like creature with a scaly body and long, thin neck that vanishes as they approach. Legend claims The Each Uisge is a shape-shifter that can appear as a human or a black horse.

It can control the weather and create disorienting mirages, luring victims into the water to drown them.

These stories have been passed down as cautionary tales for those who venture too close to the water's edge.

Samhain Pronounced "SOW - IN" The origins of Samhain are rooted in ancient. Each whisky in the Samhain Series tells a tale steeped in local legend, with evocative labels designed by Edinburgh-based artist and designer Steven Shand, who has over 13 years of experience in the Scottish whisky industry. Shand's intricate artwork and storytelling complement the atmospheric whiskies, capturing a haunting essence of Scotland's past.

●      ‘The Witch of Beinne A’Ghlo’

Legend has it that in the mountains overlooking Blair Atholl Castle, an infamous witch hid amongst the corries and hills. Using their powers, they would shape-shift to take the form of an eagle, a deer or even a raven and terrify local people driving their cattle into mires, riding their horses till they collapsed with exhaustion - and it's claimed it even destroyed a bridge!

"She heard him on her mount of stone: Where on snakes alive she was feeding alone." - Local poem, by unkown author.

The Scottish witchcraft panic of 1597 was a year that saw large-scale witch hunting around Scotland in a time of political and religious instability, with famine blamed on innocents accused of witchcraft.

Samhain Pronounced "SOW - IN" The origins of Samhain are rooted in ancient. Each whisky in the Samhain Series tells a tale steeped in local legend, with evocative labels designed by Edinburgh-based artist and designer Steven Shand, who has over 13 years of experience in the Scottish whisky industry. Shand's intricate artwork and storytelling complement the atmospheric whiskies, capturing a haunting essence of Scotland's past.

●      ‘Hunting For The Gorbals Vampire’

In September 1954 several children in the Gorbal's neighbourhood claimed to have seen a seven foot tall, child killing, iron-teethed vampire lurking in the Southern Necropolis cemetery situated beside the Dixon Blazes Ironworks. This led to a frenzy among the local youth, with many of them arming themselves with improvised weapons and descending upon the cemetery in search of the supposed vampire.

The incident garnered significant media attention at the time, with newspapers reporting on the mass hysteria and the fear gripping the community. 

Samhain Pronounced "SOW - IN" The origins of Samhain are rooted in ancient. Each whisky in the Samhain Series tells a tale steeped in local legend, with evocative labels designed by Edinburgh-based artist and designer Steven Shand, who has over 13 years of experience in the Scottish whisky industry. Shand's intricate artwork and storytelling complement the atmospheric whiskies, capturing a haunting essence of Scotland's past.

●      ‘Grizel & The West Bow Saint’

Major Thomas Weir was known for his piety and religious fervour, preaching to the masses of the West Bow of Edinburgh.

One Sunday morning in 1670, instead of Weir's usual sermon, he instead confessed to many evil deeds; witchcraft, necromancy, and terrible intimate acts with his own sister Grizel. After claiming that he had made a pact with the devil the Weir siblings were arrested, accused of witchcraft and incest.

Grizel recounted stories of devilry and magic including one occasion, when a blazing carriage led by charcoal horses arrived at their home on the West Bow to take them to their master, Auld Nick himself.

Samhain Pronounced "SOW - IN" The origins of Samhain are rooted in ancient. Each whisky in the Samhain Series tells a tale steeped in local legend, with evocative labels designed by Edinburgh-based artist and designer Steven Shand, who has over 13 years of experience in the Scottish whisky industry. Shand's intricate artwork and storytelling complement the atmospheric whiskies, capturing a haunting essence of Scotland's past.

●      ‘The Ritual of Oak & Mistletoe’

Roman historian Pliny the Elder wrote in the 1st Century AD:

"Druids - that is what they call their magicians - hold nothing more sacred than the mistletoe and a tree on which it is growing, provided it is a hard-timbered oak. Mistletoe is rare and when found it is gathered with great ceremony, and particularly on the sixth day of the moon. They prepare a ritual sacrifice and banquet beneath a tree and bring up two white bulls, whose horns are bound. A priest arrayed in white vestments climbs the tree and, with a golden sickle, cuts down the mistletoe, which is caught in a white cloak. Then finally they kill the victims, praying to a god to render his gift propitious to those on whom he has bestowed it. They believe that mistletoe given in drink is an antidote to all poisons."

DISTILLED on 2nd March 1998 and BOTTLED on 8th October 2024.

Fully matured in its original Oloroso cask for all of its 26 years, this old single grain whisky has been rescued from blended whisky obscurity and bottled by us right at its peak. This is our charity bottling this year where all profit from the bottles will go to our charity partner Big Hearts Community Trust who are based out of Tynecastle Park, conveniently next door to the North British distillery.

Tasting revealed - sticky raisins, new leather and sour cherry.

DISTILLED on 6th May 2013 and BOTTLED on 10th October 2024.

Our latest ‘Myosotis’ bottling - the Latin name for the ’Forget-Me-Not’ flower. This is the perfect name for this bottling as it is a result of the remnants of a cask previously bottled to meet an exact yield. On this occasion, we have a whisky that has spent 4 years in an ex-peated whisky cask that has added layers of smoke and peat to the fruity spirit.

Tasting revealed - smoked honey, white chocolate and charred lime.