Lindores Abbey

Lindores Abbey is a new distillery that sits within the grounds of an old monastery of the same name. This is located in the Lowland region of Fife. It is referred to in what many believe to be the first reference of whisky in Scotland. In a letter from King James IV to Friar John Cor in 1494, reference is made to the production of aqua vitae and malt at the Abbey. This progressive and contemporary artisanal distillery is one of the few to operate a single estate policy with all barley grown in neighbouring fields.

The new make spirit from Lindores Abbey is described as being malty and nutty with prominent cereal and orchard fruit notes and a mix of sweetness and spice. The robust and complex spirit develops further tropical fruit, butterscotch, vanilla and toffee notes when aged. 

Since 2020, all barley used in production has been sourced from farmland belonging to the Abbey of Lindores since the 15th century. The distillery equipment is bespoke and was built by renowned coppersmiths Forsyth's of Rothes. This includes a two tonne mash tun with a copper domed top. There are four wooden washbacks made of Douglas Fir. Two fermentation times are operated - a short one of 60 hours for a heavier and maltier wash, and longer 114 hours for a fresher and fruitier style. One large wash still undertakes the first distillation and feeds two smaller spirit stills for the second distillation. This configuration is unusual in the Scotch industry where stills commonly work in pairs. Bourbon barrels, red wine barriques and sherry butts are in use for maturation. The production capacity is 225,000 litres per year.

Lindores Abbey was founded in 2017 by The Lindores Abbey Distilling Co. The people behind the company are Drew and Helen McKenzie Smith, the owners of the ruins and surrounding land of the Abbey of Lindores. This is located near the small town of Newburgh. The distillery was built within a converted and expanded farm building next to the former monastery. It offers spectacular views from a large glassed production area including a panorama taking in the Firth of Tay, the city of Dundee and the ruins.

The distillery was designed to produce a range of spirits and these have included aqua vitae and single malt to date. The Aqua Vitae was first released in 2019 and is a homage to the style of spirit previously produced by monks at the Abbey. It features a combination of dried fruits, spices and locally sourced herbs. The first single malt whisky was released in limited quantities in Spring 2021 and sold out instantly. The Lindores MCDXCIV (1494 in Roman numerals) became the first core product shortly afterwards. Both whiskies are non chill-filtered and of natural colour.

Tours, plus whisky and champagne afternoon tea experiences are available at the distillery's award-winning visitor centre. They also offer the Legacy Bar for cocktails, drams and whisky flights. They also operate a cask ownership programme, where you can fill a cask of your choice with a new make spirit and follow its progress during maturation.