Coming of age (Campbeltown)
Three years in the making but now the latest spirit from Campbeltown is ready to make its debut
The weather had closed in and the wind and rain were starting to make their presence felt, but all this was unable to dampen the high spirits of the crowd gathered at Campbeltownâs newest distillery.
More than 70 years after the last spirit came off the stills at Glengyle, it has been lovingly rebuilt and, after three years, Kilkerran Single Malt is legally a whisky.
The crowd, a mix of distillery workers, journalists and supporters of this new project, had been invited to Campbeltown to celebrate the maltâs third birthday.
As the opening ceremony for the distillery had been kept a very much in house event, owners J&A Mitchell decided to open the doors and invite the world to have a look round.
After a day of tours round Springbank, Glengyle and Campbeltown itself (on an open top bus which given the weather was refreshing but fun), music, food and whisky were on offer to mark this momentous occasion.
The name Kilkerran was chosen for several reasons.
As there is a vatted Highland malt using name of Glengyle, J&A Mitchell did not want any confusion.
Kilkerran is derived from the Gaelic âCeann Loch Cille Chiarainâ which is the name of the original settlement where Saint Kerran had his religious cell and where Campbeltown now stands.
The company also thought the name was suitable as it was unusual for the old Campbeltown distilleries to be called after a Glen, a custom more associated with the Speyside region.
Glengyle is the first distillery to open in Campbelt.....
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Section : Distillery Focus
Page number : 54
