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Distillery in Focus:           Auchentoshan
Region: Lowlands
Name: Auchentoshan Distillery.
Status: Active
Website: http://www.auchentoshan.com
Telephone: 01389 878561
E-Mail: info@morrisonbowmore.co.uk
Address: Dalmuir, West Dunbartonshire, G81 4SG
Visitor centre: Yes
Owner: Morrison Bomwore Distillers Ltd, Suntory Ltd.
Established in 1817 (as Duntocher Distillery).
Stills: 1 Wash , 1 Intermediate and 1 Spirit stills.
Percentage of single malts: close to 100%.
Casks used for maturation are sherry, bourbon and wine.

Contribute(d) to the following blends: Rob Roy, Islay Legend, Ballantines, Royal Chalice

Regular Bottling:
Auchentoshan Select
Auchentoshan Three woods
Auchentoshan 10
Auchentoshan 12 (for Taiwan)
Auchentoshan 21

In addition to the "standard" range, Auchentoshan has released some limited editions such as Auchentoshan 1962, Auchentoshan 1973, Auchentoshan 18 YO Bordeaux wine finish and Auchentoshand 18 YO Oloroso sherry matured.

For tasted whiskies, click here.

Noteworthy is that the distillery is located lies in the lowlands close to the separation line with the Highlands, but that the water supply is located in the Highlands. In addition, the water supplies are very short and water has also to be supplied by tankers. Auchentoshan is the only distillery in Scotland producing exclusively triple distilled malt whisky.

History of Auchentoshan

In 1817, a section of the former Johnstone estate was sold by John Cross Buchanan to John Bulloch where Duntocher Distillery was to be built. John Bulloch files for bankruptancy in 1822 and his son, Archibald Bulloch becomes the owner of the distillery. Archibald was declared bankrupt in 1826 and the distillery come to operate under Bulloch & Co. Bulloch & Co td was sold to John Hart and Alexander Filshie and the distillery is renamed Auchintoshan. In 1845 James Filshie joins the owners of the distillery and it is rebuilt during the whisky boom in 1875. Three years later, in 1878, the distillery is sold to the whisky merchants CH Curtis & Co and in 1900 the distillery is sold to Alexander Ferguson & Co Ltd. Shortly afterwards, the distillery is sold in 1903 to George & John McLachlan Ltd, which will become McLachlands Ltd in 1923. On March 1941, warehouses 1, 2 and 3 are bombed and destroyed by the Germans and the distillery will resume production in February 1948. The change of Auchintoshan distillery to Auchentoshan occured probably under the ownership of McLachlands. Beginning 1960s, Auchentoshan is acquired by the brewers J&R Tennent Ltd. J&R Tennent Ltd is taken over in 1964 by Charingtons and will be merged to Bass Charington in 1967. In 1969, Auchentoshan distillery is acquired by Eadie Cairns Ltd and then in 1984 by Stanley P. Morrison (Morrison Bowmore Distillers, MBD). In 1994, Suntory takes ownership of Morrison Bowmore Distillers

The inside of the mash house The wooden washbacks of Auchentoshan.
From right to left, the Wash, Intermediate and Sipirt stills of Auchtentoshan Distillery. A glimpse of one warehouse at Auchentoshan distillery.

Source: www. auchentoshan.com, Distillery Visit and The Scotch Whisky Distilleries by Misako Udo.
©P.Brossard 11July06.

Tasted whiskies (36):

Official/original bottlings (OB)  
Age  
Auchentoshan 12 YO, OB, 40%, B:2014. Rating: 14/20
Auchentoshan 18 YO, 43%, OB, B: 2008 Rating: 12/20
Auchentoshan 21 YO, OB, 43%, B: 2007 Rating: 11/20
Auchentoshan 21 YO, OB, 43%, B: 2008. Rating: 13/20
   
Vintages  
Auchentoshan 1957, 50 YO, OB, 49.1%, B: 2007, c. 480, 144 b Rating: 18/20
Auchentoshan 1965, 40 YO, OB, 41.6% B: 2006, 200 b. Rating: 18/20 rating
Auchentoshan 1965, 40 YO, OB, 41.6%, B:2006, 200 b. Rating: 18/20 rating
Auchentoshan 1965 for World of Whiskies, 36 YO, OB, 45.3%, B:2002, c. 2516. Rating: 17/20
Auchentoshan 1965, 31 YO, OB, 48.9%, B:1997, c. 2508 Rating: 17/20
Auchentoshan 1965, 31 Y, OB, 47.1%, B:1997, c. 2503. Rating: 17/20
Auchentoshan 1965, 31 YO, OB, 45.6%, B:1997, c. 2144 Rating: 16/20
Auchentoshan 1975, 21 YO, OB, 55.4%, B:1996. Rating: 16/20
Auchentoshan 1976, 30 YO, OB, 41.8%, B: 2007. 600 b Rating: 16/20
Auchentoshan 1977, OB, 49%, B: 2010, 240 b. Rating: 19/20
Auchentoshan 1978, 18 YO, 58.8%, B: 1997 Rating: 14/20
Auchentoshan 1979, 32 YO, OB, 50.5%, B: 2012, 1000 b. Rating: 17/20
Auchentoshan 1988 Bordeaux Wine finish, 20 YO, OB, 52.4%, B: 2009. 1800 b. Rating: 13/20
Auchentoshan 1990 for CWS, 27 YO, OB, 59.1%, B:2018, 512 b. Rating: 16/20
Auchentoshan 1991, 16 YO, OB, 53.7%, B:2007 Rating: 10/20
Auchentoshan 1998 Sherry Cask Matured, OB, 54.6%, B: 2010 Rating: 13/20
Auchentoshan Whisky Festival 2009, OB, B:2009, 300 b. Rating: 14/20
   
No Age Specified (NAS)  
Auchentoshan American Oak, OB, 40%, B:2014 Rating: 13/20
Auchentoshan American Oak, OB, 40%, B:2017 Rating: 13/20
Auchentoshan three woods, OB, 43%, B:2014. Rating: 14/20
Auchentoshan Valinch, OB, 57.5%, B: 2011 Rating: 11/20

 

Independent bottlings (IB)  
   
A few Barrels company  
Auchentoshan 1998, A Few Barrels Company, 54.5%, B:2023 Rating: 16/20
   
Blackadder  
Auchentoshan 1997 Raw Cask, 18 YO, Blackadder, 52.3%, B:2015, c. 2909, 247 b. Rating: 13/20
   
Coopers selection  
Auchentoshan 1991, 12 YO, Coopers Selection, 46% Rating: 12/20
   
First Editions, The  
Auchentoshan 1988, 16 YO, The First Editions, 53.4%, Rating: 09/20
   
la Maison du Whisky, LMDW  
Auchentoshan Artist 2001, Over 10 YO, La Maison Du Whisky, 54.6%, B:2016, 68 bottles Rating: 16/20
   
Malts of Scotland  
Auchentoshan 1991 Château Montrose wine finish, 18 YO, Malts of Scotland, 59.3%, B: 2009, c. 492, 301 b. Rating: 10/20
   
Scotch Malt Whisky Society  
Auchentoshan 5.5 1974, 16 YO, SMWS, 56.3%, B:1991. Rating: 15/20
Auchentoshan 1999 5.23, 8 YO, SMWS, 56.8%, B:2008, 236 b. Rating: 11/20
   
Signatory  
Auchentoshan 1984, 24 YO, Signatory, 55.4%, B: 2008, c.264, 159 b. Rating: 15/20
Auchentoshan 1992 Waldhaus am See, 23 YO, Signatory, 50.3%, B:2016, c. 533 Rating: 12/20
   
Single Cask Collection  
Auchentoshan 1995, 17 YO, Single Cask Collection, 53.5%, c. 657, 261 b. Rating: 13/20
   
Van Wees, The Ultimate  
Auchentoshan 2001, 11 YO, Van Wees, 46%, B:2013, c. 800047, 302 b. Rating: 09/20
   
Whisky Fair, The  
Auchentoshan 1992, The Whisky Fair, 46.3%, B:2015 Rating: 16/20