The Glasgow Distillery marks a major milestone today: its first cask has turned 10 Years Old. It’s a significant moment in the story of the young distillery, which first released its Lowland single malt whisky in 2018.
“2025 is a special year for us, no doubt about that,” says Mike Hayward, who co-founded the Glasgow Distillery with business partner Liam Hughes in 2012. “It’s wonderful to reflect on 10 years of whisky making and unbelievable how fast those have gone.”
Cask No 1 — the first cask ever filled at the distillery — was filled on 5 March 2015. Although today it celebrates a decade of ageing, Hayward doesn’t expect to see it in a bottle for a while to come.
“Cask No 1 will be maturing for many more years before we consider releasing the whisky within,” Hayward explains. “As the first ever cask we filled it holds a special place in our hearts and is undoubtedly the most important cask within the distillery.”
The distillery’s approach is to produce three types of new make, which become its ‘Signature Range’ of Original, Peated, and Triple Distilled whiskies. To Hayward, this method is part of what makes Glasgow “contemporary urban distillers.” He explains, “Creating three distinct new make spirit styles allows us to form a broad spectrum and depth of flavour within our whiskies. This approach means our whiskies don’t rely solely on cask influence for versatility in flavour; instead, they start from three unique foundations, each bringing its own character to the final product.”
Alongside the distillery’s Signature Range sits the Small Batch Series, first launched in 2022, which experiments with how the new make styles interact with various cask finishes, such as Manzanilla sherry, Tequila, and Tokaji wine.
Reflecting on the developments at the distillery now that it has reached the decade mark, Hayward adds, “In 2019, we doubled our single malt capacity with a site expansion to include two new whisky stills. And last year, in 2024, we expanded our site again to include our own on-site cask warehouse and cooperage, enhancing the curation of our ever-maturing whiskies within the cask.”
It's perhaps difficult for Hayward to pick a favourite moment, after such a busy decade of whisky distilling. “Starting up The Glasgow Distillery from scratch has been one of the most challenging experiences of my life, but also one of the most rewarding,” he says. “It fills me with immense pride when I see how far we have come in a relatively short period of time.”
There are standouts, though. Hayward highlights the release of the first Glasgow 1770 single malt: “an incredibly memorable and proud moment for me and everyone at the distillery,” he reflects. It was a milestone not just for the brand, but for the city — Hayward says it was “Glasgow’s first single malt whisky release from an independent distillery since 1902”. It’s fitting, then, that the brand’s single malt is emblazoned with 1770, the years Glasgow’s distillery was originally founded in Dundashill.
The 10-year milestone is also an opportunity for Hayward and his team to look ahead. “Our distillery is still young and at the beginning of an exciting growth phase,” he says. That includes a new team, global product expansions, a “growing global community of Glasgow Distillery enthusiasts”, and, of course, new releases.
Although Cask No 1 will stay put in its wood for now, the distillery won’t miss the chance to toast a decade with new expressions. “To celebrate 10 years of whisky making, we will be releasing some milestone bottlings this year,” confirms Hayward. More information will be released on those in due course — and members of the free Glasgow Distillery Community will be first to hear.
In the end, for Hayward this milestone is cause for gratitude. “The last ten years have been a rollercoaster of a ride,” he admits. “We’re incredibly grateful to our passionate followers who have been at our side from the beginning and supported our mission of making premium spirits that are true to our three core principles of authenticity, transparency, and accessibility.”
