Strathearn Distillery

Strathearn was conceived as a genuine craft operation at the vanguard of Scotland's small distillery movement. Tony Reeman-Clark, along with David Lang and David Wight, founded the company in 2013 and chose a setting in Methven, Perthshire that combined Highland water access (from Loch Turret) with historic farm buildings suited to distillery conversion.

First whisky was distilled in October 2013, using a pair of small alembic pot stills made by Portuguese manufacturer Hoga — an unusual choice that gave the operation a European craft character. The wash still and spirit still, though small in conventional terms, were sized to produce intense, flavourful new make spirit. The 96-hour fermentation time, reportedly the longest of any Scottish distillery, contributed additional complexity to the base spirit. Early expressions also included a gin range — Strathearn Classic, Citrus, Heather Rose, and Oaked Highland — and the distillery produced gin commercially before whisky was ready for release.

The first Strathearn single malt whisky was released in 2016, quickly attracting attention from whisky enthusiasts for its quality. Tony Reeman-Clark departed in July 2019, and ownership briefly passed to Thomas James Burke before Douglas Laing & Co completed their acquisition on 23 October 2019. Douglas Laing invested in larger stills, a new mash tun, and additional washbacks, roughly doubling capacity. The first whisky released under new ownership, "The Heart," appeared in 2022 to considerable critical interest.

In 2025 the distillery also began production of Teasmith gin, featuring Sri Lankan tea as a botanical, demonstrating continued innovation under the Douglas Laing umbrella.

Strathearn operates alembic pot stills of the Hoga type, made in Portugal — a configuration unusual in the Scottish single malt world. The wash still and spirit still are small by industry standards, though Douglas Laing's investment has increased capacity since the 2019 acquisition. Water is sourced from Loch Turret. Fermentation runs for a notably long 96 hours — well beyond the typical 48–72 hours used at most Scottish distilleries — producing a complex, fruity wash before distillation. All whisky is bottled without colouring or chill-filtration.

Strathearn's long fermentation and small-vessel distillation produce a spirit with unusual depth for its scale. Character leans fruity and approachable, with the Perthshire water source and small-batch concentration giving a richness rarely found in Scottish single malts of similar age. Douglas Laing's curation of the stocks under their tenure has emphasised quality over volume, releasing only expressions that meet the high standards the brand now upholds. "One of the country's mightiest malts from one of its smallest distilleries" has been used to describe the output.

No confirmed public visitor programme exists at the Methven site following the Douglas Laing acquisition. The distillery is not open for general tours. Products are available to purchase online through douglaslaing.com. For the latest information, check the Douglas Laing website.