The Clydeside Distillery
The Clydeside Distillery opened in November 2017 as the second active whisky distillery in Glasgow in over a century, occupying the magnificent Victorian Pumphouse at Queen's Dock on the River Clyde. The Grade B-listed Pumphouse was built in 1877 to house the hydraulic pumping equipment that controlled the dock's swing bridge, and the £10.5 million refurbishment — by founder Tim Morrison of Morrison Glasgow Distillers — has transformed it into one of Scotland's most dramatic and atmospheric distillery settings. First casks were filled in December 2017; the first single malt, named Stobcross, launched in October 2021.
Tim Morrison's family connection to the site runs deep: he is the great-grandson of John Morrison, who built the Queens' Dock and Pumphouse on the River Clyde in the 19th century. Morrison's family previously owned Morrison Bowmore Distillers before selling to Beam Suntory in 1994, making his return to distilling a homecoming for one of Glasgow's great whisky families.
Tours
Available
On-site Shop
Open
Online Shop
Available
History
Glasgow was once home to dozens of grain and malt distilleries, making the city a global whisky capital in the 19th century. By the time Tim Morrison began planning The Clydeside Distillery, that heritage had been dormant for over a century. Morrison identified the derelict Pumphouse at Queen's Dock as an ideal building: historically significant, dramatically situated on the Clyde waterfront, and spacious enough to accommodate a working distillery alongside a substantial visitor experience.
The £10.5 million refurbishment preserved the original Victorian industrial architecture — the cast iron columns, the brick walls, the arched windows — while installing two Forsyth-built copper pot stills, each weighing approximately two tonnes. The wash still and spirit still give an annual production capacity of approximately 500,000 litres of Lowland-classified spirit.
First casks were filled in December 2017. The distillery became the second active Glasgow distillery (after The Glasgow Distillery, which opened in 2015 at Hillington). In 2021, the first Clydeside single malt — named "Stobcross" after the historic quay where the Pumphouse stands — was released, matured in American and European oak casks. The core permanent expressions Clydeside Single Malt and Fortnight Peated followed as the programme established itself.
Production
The Clydeside operates one Forsyth-built wash still and one Forsyth-built spirit still, each approximately two tonnes in weight. The stills are visible to visitors through glass walls in the distillery floor. Annual production capacity stands at approximately 500,000 litres of spirit. Water for production is sourced locally. The spirit is classified as Lowland single malt, reflecting the geographic classification of Glasgow within the Scotch Whisky Regulations. Maturation uses American and European oak casks, producing the approachable, fruit-forward style that characterises the core range.
Tasting Character
Clydeside produces a Lowland-style single malt: approachable, fruit-forward, and oak-influenced. The unpeated core expression shows vanilla, stone fruit, and gentle spice from American and European oak maturation. The Fortnight Peated expression introduces smoke into the Clydeside character — the name a reference to the "fortnight" of peated barley production used to create it. The combination of Glasgow's urban setting and the Lowland classification produces a style distinct from the Speyside or Highland malts that often dominate the conversation, with a lightness and accessibility well suited to whisky newcomers and enthusiasts alike.
What They Produce
Notable Bottlings
- Clydeside Stobcross — First release (2021), American and European oak, named after the historic quay
- Clydeside Single Malt — Core permanent unpeated expression
- Clydeside Fortnight Peated — Permanent peated expression, moderate smoke
- Clydeside Limited Edition (2023) — Periodic special releases from different cask types
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Visiting
The Clydeside offers one of Glasgow's most varied and interesting distillery tour programmes from its spectacular Pumphouse setting on the Clyde waterfront. Options include:
- The Clydeside Tour — £19.50, approximately 1 hour, 3 drams
- Chocolate & Whisky Tour — £39, 1 hour 20 minutes
- Whisky Creator Tour — £90, 1 hour 30 minutes, create a bespoke 200ml bottle
- Distillery Manager Tour — £175, 2 hours, 2–6 people maximum
- Private tours available by request
An online shop and physical distillery shop are available. The distillery café serves food and drinks. Book via theclydeside.com. Address: 100 Stobcross Road, Glasgow, G3 8QQ.
Official Website
