Inchdairnie

InchDairnie is a Scotch whisky distillery established in 2015 on a site near Glenrothes in Fife.

The distillery has been set up to innovate and experiment. Everything from ingredients to equipment to the process itself has been designed to maximise flavour.

The name InchDairnie means "secret land near the water". 

InchDairnie is yet to release any of its whisky but the intention is to produce several different styles. The whisky will range from light and aromatic to full-bodied and complex.

Techniques and recipes will change depending on the time of year. The ultimate goal is to produce a unique distillate for each season.

Planned releases also include an innovative Rye whisky and a peated single malt. 

InchDairnie will use both summer and winter barley grown locally in Fife.

The distillery uses a Hammermill and mash filter. It is only the second in Scotland, after Teaninich, to use such a setup.

The distillery uses several yeast strains in fermentation. They are combined in different ways depending on the season and the desired flavour profile.

The fermentation process also utilises a High Gravity brewing technique. Wort is added at higher than normal concentrations with the end result being a wash of higher ABV. 

There are three stills. Two traditional pot stills and a Lomond still with six internal plates. The plates can be adjusted to change the character of the spirit. Each still is fitted with twin condensers to increase copper contact and help remove impurities.

The distillery will produce several brands. The InchDairnie single malt will be distilled in pot stills and bottled in vintages. Each vintage will consist of distillates from each of that year’s four seasons.

RyeLaw will be made from malted rye and malted barley and partially distilled in the Lomond still. Since there is no official category for Scotch rye whisky, it will be labelled as a single grain.

KinGlassie will be a peated single malt distilled in the winter. In addition, InchDairnie will bottle the Prinlaws Collection. This series of experimental releases are expected to launch with a spirit distilled from oats.

The distillery will also bulk produce single malt for use in blended Scotch.

A range of different casks is being used to mature the spirit. Various cask types are being used. American oak bourbon barrels are being filled alongside Spanish Amontillado sherry and Muscatel casks from Portugal. 

InchDairnie was established by Managing Director Ian Palmer in 2015.

After 40 years in the Scotch whisky industry with the likes of Invergordon, Whyte & MacKay and Glen Turner, Palmer spotted a gap in the market. Using all his experience, he set out to establish a distillery that put flavour at the heart of its operation. 

Backed by a private investment group and a Government Grant of £1.7million, construction work began in 2014. The build took 18 months to complete and the first distillation runs took place in December 2015.

Using cutting edge technology, Ian has designed one of the most advanced, energy-efficient distilleries in the world. InchDairnie will innovate and experiment in a way never before attempted in Scotland.