Glen Scotia Distillery

Glen Scotia was founded in 1832 as the Scotia Distillery by Stewart & Galbraith. By the 1830s it was one of almost 30 distilleries thriving in Campbeltown, which had earned the title of Whisky Capital of the World in the Victorian era thanks to its coal supplies, local barley, and ideal maritime climate. The town's whisky industry collapsed dramatically in the early 20th century as blenders turned away from Campbeltown's heavy, oily style, and by the inter-war period only a handful of distilleries remained.

Duncan MacCallum purchased the distillery in 1891 and built the large frontage malting floors that still run along High Street. A deeply troubled man, MacCallum fell victim to a bogus investment scheme and in December 1930 drowned himself in Crosshill Loch — the distillery's own water source. His ghost is said to haunt the stillhouse, and staff report an unsettling presence in the building to this day.

The distillery subsequently changed hands through West Highland Malt Distillers and was acquired by Bloch Brothers in 1933. Production was suspended during World War II from 1942 to 1945. Hiram Walker and Sons took ownership in 1954. A management buyout in 1987 created Gibson International under Ian Lockwood's leadership before Loch Lomond Group acquired the distillery in 2014 and invested in increased capacity, additional warehousing, and a modern visitor centre.

Water for production comes from Crosshill Loch — the same body of water in which Duncan MacCallum drowned in 1930. The distillery operates with 1 wash still (11,800 L) and 1 spirit still (8,600 L), with 9 stainless steel washbacks. Annual production is approximately 700,000 litres. Glen Scotia produces both unpeated and peated expressions; peated production typically runs for around six weeks per year, using medium and heavily peated malted barley. Maturation draws on a range of cask types including ex-bourbon, ex-Pedro Ximénez sherry, and other finishes.

Glen Scotia's house style is maritime and coastal — saline, slightly oily, with dried fruit and baking spice. The Double Cask (46% ABV) is matured in first-fill bourbon then finished in ex-Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, delivering toffee, vanilla, allspice, fresh pear, raisins, and figs with a characteristic salty Glen Scotia signature. The 15 Year Old (46% ABV) is rich with apricot jam, satsuma, and apple pie alongside sea breeze, baking spice, and coffee cake. Victoriana (cask strength, ~54% ABV) is drawn from heavily charred casks and is fruit-forward with tart red berry and dark chocolate. The Campbeltown 1832 expression brings peat smoke on a salty sea breeze with crème caramel and golden syrup.

Tours run Monday–Friday at 11:00 and 14:00. After the tour, visitors receive a five-dram cask strength tasting in the traditional dunnage warehouse. An online shop operates at glenscotia.com and a physical visitor centre and shop are on site.