Without grain, Scotch Whisky would not exist as it is today.
The Role of Grain Whisky
Grain whisky is the largest export of the Scotch Whisky industry. Most often destined as part of a blend, grain whiskies are typically sweeter and most prolific in their cereal notes compared to their malted cousins. But this is not to say that they are any less flavourful. Even in relatively modern distilleries such as Girvan, the evolution of flavour can be charted throughout the decades.
Grain distilleries are mammoth by their nature in production. Built on the processes of continuous distillation using column stills - as opposed to batch distillation with pot stills -spirit is made day and night to facilitate demand. This demand means that almost all new make spirit produced within a grain distillery is destined for more mainstream ventures – and little of it is set aside to mature for decades in its singularity.
For the Gordon family though, grain whisky and the Girvan Distillery is immeasurably important in their story. When the first new make spirit ran through the stills at Girvan, Charles Gordon knew that history in that moment was being distilled. So, with his forward-thinking vision, he set aside a portion of it – all with the intention that one day, this characteristic spirit would mature in cask, developing into a Single Grain Scotch Whisky that was quite remarkable.
One for the Next begins its Single Grain story with “Chapter One” – a 60-Year-Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky - just 25 bottles are available. The remainder of spirit will lay in cask only to be revisited every ten years until the final precious drops within cask reach 100 years of age. An ambitious first for the industry, no doubt – but when has that ever prevented the Gordon family from forging their legacy?
A behemoth of grain
Girvan, the Grain Giant
Built in a record-time of just nine months, Girvan Distillery is no ordinary site of whisky making. In fact, its story is anything but.
