Watch: Story of Glasgow Distillery and reintroducing single malt whisky production to the city

Located just off the M8 within an industrial estate in Hillington is the Glasgow Distillery, the first independent active single malt production centre within the city since 1902. Known for its three signature whiskys - a double distilled peated and unpeated bottle, and a triple distilled unpeated - the company was named Scottish Distillery of the Year in 2020, and has proven to be a pioneer for rejuvenating interest in one of our nation’s most historic and influential industries. 

We visited the distillery to learn more about its history and the whisky on offer. We spoke to Marketing Executive Libby Barmy: “Founded in 2012 by two friends - Mike and Liam. The name 1770 dates back to the original Glasgow Distillery. There was actually about 30 different distilleries along the city lines of Glasgow. The original Glasgow Distillery would have been the first to set up and was actually the last to close in 1902. There’s nothing in the history books as to why these distilleries closed down, probably with all the laws around making whisky that came in around that time, it made it difficult to do. 

“There was no new independent single malt distilleries until we came along so we grabbed the name ‘Glasgow Distillery’ as quickly as we could. We started the company in 2012 and it took us a while to get moving from that point. We had the name and the idea but it was where we were going to be making the whisky, who was going to be working with us and that sort of thing. 

“It took a couple of years to bring everything together so we didn’t start making whisky until 2015. We also produced a gin in 2015. That’s when this location in Hillington became our home. It’s not the most picturesque of places but it does the job. Where we are is one of the largest bonded sites in Europe so it’s perfect for making whisky. Squeezed some stills in and here we are. 

“We produce three different styles of whisky and along side that we also do gin, vodka, rum and blended whisky as well, so there’s quite a lot of plates spinning so we need a really good team to help do that. The three different styles actually started out as just the one - the double distilled unpeated which is known as the original in our signature range. That’s what we started out with in 2015. In 2016 we introduced our peated single malt - double distilled peated.  And then in 2017 we started producing the triple distilled unpeated. Three completely different flavour profile of whiskies. 

“The original says ‘fresh and fruity’ on the label which sums it up. Quite a robust spirit, quite fruity quite sweet. Nice and waxy, nice and oily. Alongside those flavours, the peated version - it’s in the name, quite rich, quite smoky. And then the triple distilled is the complete opposite. Almost like breakfast, lunch and dinner. The triple distilled is super light and clean but yet still full of character. Lovely fruity, tropical notes. More like green fruits whereas the original is more like red fruits. And then the peated is very much like barbecue, sweet sauce. More of a sweet smoke. 

“Three very different single malts, the reason for that was to have options. All distilleries have the power of casks, using red wine casks, sherry casks. We have this extra power of those three different desolates. For example if you have a red wine cask and you’re putting the triple distilled, the peated and the unpeated into that cask, each spirit is going to bring out different flavours from that one style of cask. You’ve got the same whisky but three completely different styles. It’s a red wine matured whisky but three different flavour profiles. It would fit the bill for three different types of whisky drinkers. The idea was to have options.”