North of Scotland - A forgotten grain whisky pioneer

Founded in 1957 in the Scottish Lowlands, the North of Scotland distillery was one of the most unusual distilleries of its time. As a pure grain whisky production site away from the traditional whisky centres, it wrote its own history before closing in 1980 - leaving behind one of the shortest distillery biographies in Scotland.

North of Scotland focussed on modern, efficient production methods right from the start. The distillery was one of the first in the UK to work with a fully computerised plant - a revolutionary approach in the 1960s. The grain whisky produced here was deliberately different from the heavier styles of the time and had an unusually light, almost neutral character.

Subtle notes of fresh grain, light vanilla and a pleasant sweetness were typical of North of Scotland whiskies. These characteristics made the whisky the ideal component for blends, but there were also stand-alone bottlings. The rare original bottles from the 1960s and 1970s are particularly sought-after today and are highly prized by collectors.

Although the distillery only produced for just under 25 years, it left behind a fascinating chapter in whisky history. North of Scotland symbolises the dawn of modern whisky production - an experiment that did not last, but paved the way for later innovations. Today, the surviving bottles are silent witnesses to this forgotten era of Scottish spirits production.