Auchentoshan. In a whisky landscape where single malts and new expressions are becoming more and more ubiquitous, every brand or distillery is jockeying for position and heralding its “point of difference”. Some hang their hat on geography (“We’re Scotland’s most northerly distillery”); some rely on taste (“The most richly flavoured Islay malt”); some rely on size (“Scotland’s smallest distillery”); and others lean on their corporate make-up (“Still family owned since 1860”).
Only one Scottish distillery, however, can declare that its production methods and spirit are different to every other Scotch single malt. And that distillery is Auchentoshan. For it is here and only here that the mystical and complex art of triple distillation is practiced on each and every drop of spirit produced.
Distilleries like Springbank, Benrinnes, and Mortlach employ complex and confusing runs through their stills that result in partial third distillations, but only at Auchentoshan can you walk into the stillhouse and be greeted with three distinct stills – the wash still, the intermediate still, and the spirit still.
Read the textbooks and they’ll tell you that triple distillation was widely practiced throughout the Lowlands, where a lighter style of spirit was the objective. The same textbooks will tell you that all Irish whiskey is triple distilled, but a close review of what’s actually happening across the Irish Sea reveals that the reality is a little different at some facilities. Furthermore, despite the widespread propaganda that Lowland distilleries all practiced triple distillation, the reality is that only five of the 31 Lowland distilleries that Barnard visited and described in 1886 were carrying out some form of triple distillation.
In any event, it’s true that additional distillation will result in a lighter spirit. With each subsequent distillation, you are refining and purifying the distillate. Of course, what this actually means is that you’re concentrating the alcohol, and this is where Auchentoshan separates from the pack. The rest of the distilleries employing standard double distillation commence their second distillation in the spirit still, and after letting the higher alcohol foreshots through, will start to collect their middle cut somewhere around 70-75% ABV. As the distillation continues, the alcohol continues to drop, and they’ll typically cut off the heart of the run (i.e. switch to feints) somewhere around 62-67%. (I’m being general, naturally – every distillery is unique and has its own cut points). The end result is a middle cut with an average ABV of somewhere around 68% or so. Courtesy of its third distillation, however, Auchentoshan’s collected spirit sits at 81% ABV.
The procedure isn’t as simple as merely transferring the collected spirit from wash still to intermediate still to spirit still, as there is still a foreshots and feints run in the intermediate still, and it’s a complex affair as to how and when these are fed back into the system. Regardless, the result is mighty fine spirit – I’ve been privileged to try the new make spirit at roughly 25-30 distilleries around Scotland, and Auchentoshan’s would easily rate as one of the most drinkable and enjoyable in its raw form.
Alistair McDonald, the distillery manager, originally hails from Islay, though it’s nearly thirty years since he left for the bright lights of Glasgow. A friendly and knowledgeable man with a great sense of humour, he shared something with me that I’d not heard or considered before: Most whiskies need the first few years’ maturation in oak to strip away and remove some of the harsher and more aggressive volatiles. McDonald believes Auchentoshan’s third distillation, which further purifies the spirit, effectively does the same job as the first year or two in oak for the rest of the industry. What this equates to is that Auchentoshan can mature faster, i.e. it requires less time in oak to achieve the same level of maturity as some other whiskies. Noting how enjoyable and drinkable the new make spirit was off the bat, it’s a theory I can’t argue with.
[Update: Alistair McDonald finished his tenure with Auchentoshan in May, 2017]
A number of different names and expressions have made up the core-range in recent years; some, such as Select or Classic, have been discontinued. The current core-range includes the relatively light and youthful “American Oak” to the more full-bodied and full-flavoured Three Wood. The latter expression seems to be a lot older and with far greater sherry influence than I remember it being when it was first launched, and there’s no denying, the bottling is a winner. Whilst it’s true that Auchentoshan aims to and successfully achieves a lighter style of whisky, it would be unfair and misleading to pigeonhole it as such – like most distilleries, there is an expression available to suit all tastes. I’ve visited the distillery four times over the years, and have never forgotten an incredible sample from a 1966 cask that I tried back in 2009.
It’s not that long ago that Lowland distilleries were an endangered species, with just Auchentoshan, Glenkinchie, and Bladnoch remaining from the “old guard”. However, much of the recent boom in new, small-scale or farm distilleries has been focussed in the Lowlands, and whilst their spirit is yet to see commercial release, you’ll soon become familiar with names such as Daftmill, Annandale, and Falkirk. And let’s not forget Ailsa Bay, which has been churning out huge volumes of spirit for quite some time now. However, Auchentoshan has been at it since the early 1800’s. The distillery is a very short drive out of Glasgow, and has an excellent visitor centre. If you’re in Scotland and want to see the last bastion of Scottish triple distillation, a visit is compulsory.
Cheers,
AD
For more info on Auchentoshan, the official website is here.
Another excellent, thoughtful and “I feel like a wee dram right now” article, Andrew!
Whilst ‘standard’ (youthful) Auchentoshans don’t do much for me personally, there is no doubt that a well aged (and very often sherry cask-influenced) expression is absolutely delightful!
I have especially fond memories of an exclusive Gillies Club – Australia single cask, cask strength bottling in 1991 of a 20 year old Auchentoshan that was absolutely brilliant!