Annandale Distillery
Annandale Distillery has a history that stretches back more than a century, marked by ambition, innovation, and revival. Once a vital part of the Scotch whisky industry, it fell silent for decades before its meticulous restoration. I learned about the distillery's revival recently at a wonderful dinner hosted by Professor David Thomson and his wife Teresa at Fortnum & Mason.
Annandale's history saw a significant moment when John Sykes Gardner, a Liverpool-based investor and son of the city’s mayor, purchased the distillery. He was ahead of his time, installing one of the first steam engines in a distillery, an upgrade that modernised production and increased efficiency. Steam power was a step away from the traditional reliance on water-driven mills, marking Annandale as a progressive distillery looking to the future.
Alfred Barnard, the renowned whisky historian and author of The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom (1887), visited Annandale during Gardner’s tenure. Barnard’s book was the first comprehensive survey of Britain’s whisky industry, documenting over 160 distilleries at a time when Scotch whisky was transitioning from small-scale local production to a global commodity. His meticulous descriptions provided an invaluable historical record, capturing not only the technical details of whisky-making but also the character and atmosphere of each distillery. At Annandale, Barnard noted the production of peated whisky, a style that was common in the late 19th century but became less prevalent in later decades. His observations serve as an early confirmation of Annandale’s smoky heritage - one that the distillery has proudly revived today.
The Johnny Walker Era and the Industrial Boom
In 1895, the distillery was sold to John Walker & Sons, the famous whisky blenders from Kilmarnock. At the time, Johnny Walker was expanding aggressively, sourcing whiskies to create its distinctive blends. Annandale offered them a strategic advantage - it produced peated whisky without the logistical hassle of transporting spirit from Islay. Instead of dealing with coastal shipping, Walker could load Annandale’s whisky onto rail wagons and send it directly to their blending and bottling site.
However, the industry's fortunes took a hit with World War I. Whisky production was throttled, and the subsequent challenges of the Spanish flu, American Prohibition, and a decline in demand led to Annandale's closure in 1918. By the 1920s, the site was sold to a wealthy local family who repurposed the buildings for farming. Annandale faded into obscurity.
Fast forward to 2006, and Professor David Thomson, a scientist and entrepreneur from the area, stumbled upon Annandale's story in a book. Initially, he assumed the distillery had been demolished, but after some digging (and a conversation with a well-informed relative), he discovered the buildings still stood. What followed was a painstaking journey to bring Annandale back to life.
A key figure in this journey was Dr Jim Swan, a whisky consultant whose expertise in maturation and sensory analysis left an indelible mark on modern whisky production. With a PhD in Chemistry, Dr Swan’s career spanned decades, during which he advised numerous distilleries worldwide, helping to shape the flavour profiles of now-iconic whiskies. His knowledge of wood management and cask influence was unparalleled, particularly his pioneering work with STR (Shaved, Toasted, and Re-charred) casks, which enhanced whisky maturation by intensifying the interaction between spirit and oak.
Swan’s approach to whisky-making focused on maximising fruit-forward character, refining distillation techniques, and selecting casks that would complement the natural attributes of the new-make spirit. When Thomson met Dr Swan in a professional setting (unrelated to whisky) years earlier, their shared interest in sensory science and whisky production sparked a long-lasting friendship. It was only natural that, when Annandale’s revival began, Swan was brought in to help design the production process. His influence is evident in the distillery’s twin copper spirit stills, carefully calibrated to maximise copper contact and produce a refined, fruit-rich spirit.
Dr Swan’s influence extended beyond the distillery’s setup; his approach to making whisky played a crucial role in shaping Annandale’s signature style. Working closely with Thomson, he helped refine a process that would result in a whisky with a distinct, identifiable character. Together, they conducted an extensive analysis of single malts, mapping out flavour profiles and identifying gaps in the market. Their goal was to craft a whisky that showcased vibrant orchard and dark fruits, balanced with underlying creamy, biscuity notes.
A key decision in achieving this was the use of twin spirit stills rather than a single larger one, maximising copper contact to produce a smoother, more refined spirit. Additionally, Annandale opted for a unique yeast strain to enhance fruity characteristics, despite the added cost, ensuring a spirit that was both expressive and complex from the outset.
Annandale embraces single-cask, single-malt whisky rather than large-scale blending, ensuring that every bottle reflects the individuality of each barrel. This is something I am sure people are drawn to, with every bottle being unadulterated.
Peated and Unpeated: A Dual Identity
From the outset, Annandale committed to making both peated and unpeated whisky. This has allowed them to embrace their history of producing peated whisky while also catering to drinkers who prefer an unpeated dram.
Peat for their whisky comes from Portgordon in the Highlands, chosen for its consistency and well-balanced phenolic compounds that contribute to Annandale’s smoky character. However, the region surrounding the distillery itself is rich in peat deposits, and during the distillery’s reconstruction, Professor Thomson noted that peat was so abundant it would 'literally come in' as they worked on the site. Despite this, the necessary infrastructure for harvesting and processing local peat is not yet in place. The ambition remains to one day incorporate Annandale’s own peat into production, bringing a unique regional influence to their peated whisky while reinforcing a deeper connection between the whisky and its historic landscape.
The Robert Burns Connection and a Home for Whisky Lovers
Beyond whisky, Annandale has embraced its historical ties to Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet. Burns worked as an excise officer in the region, and his connection to Annandale inspired the name for the distillery’s unpeated whisky: ‘Man O’ Words.’ The peated counterpart, ‘Man O’ Sword,’ references Robert the Bruce, who is also deeply associated with the area.
Annandale took its commitment to Burns a step further by acquiring the historic Globe Inn, one of Burns’ favourite haunts. The inn, which dates back to 1610, remains a place where whisky and history intertwine, offering visitors a chance to drink in the same surroundings where Burns once wrote poetry. Beyond being a historic pub, The Globe Inn is home to 1610, an ambitious fine dining restaurant that has been gaining recognition for its outstanding food. Professor Thomson, deeply passionate about both whisky and gastronomy, brought down three of the restaurant’s chefs to prepare an extraordinary dinner at Fortnum & Mason, showcasing their expertise and the exceptional quality of their food.
The menu was both creative and showed and respect for local Scottish ingredients, featuring dishes such as smoked lobster and tomato gazpacho with couscous salad and horseradish foam, salmon mi-cuit with mussels, cucumber, beetroot, sea buckthorn, and maple sauce, and fillet of Galloway beef served with hash brown, an artichoke and mushroom tartlet, and Louis du Vin sauce. The meal finished with a decadent dessert - a 40-year-old Pedro Ximénez chocolate mousse with hazelnut and mascarpone, and then petit fours with a whisky pecan tart, Irn-Bru jelly, and banana and rum chocolate. I have to say that the food was outstanding.
Annandale Comes of Age: The 10-Year-Old Releases
Annandale Distillery is reaching a major milestone with the release of its first 10-year-old age statement whiskies: Annandale Man O’Words 10-Year-Old Fresh Ex-Bourbon Cask #125 and the peated Annandale Man O’Sword 10-Year-Old Fresh Ex-Bourbon Cask #69. Available from 27 March 2025, these limited releases mark a decade since the distillery was brought back to life, and they showcase the evolution of Annandale’s house style over ten years of careful maturation.
These 10-year-old releases were matured in first-fill ex-Bourbon casks from the Buffalo Trace Distillery, adding layers of complexity while staying true to Annandale’s signature style. Each whisky is bottled at cask strength with no chill filtration - pure, unadulterated whisky, as it should be.
The Man O’Words 10-Year-Old (57.9% ABV)
This unpeated single malt from Annandale distillery marks a significant milestone, being its first 10-year-old release under the Man O’Words label—a nod to Scottish poet Robert Burns. It opens with a clean, elegant nose filled with fresh orchard fruit: crisp apples and juicy pears dominate, supported by subtle floral undertones and a gentle waft of vanilla. There’s a trace of ginger—warming, not overwhelming, alongside hints of creamy caramel and lightly toasted oak.
On the palate, the whisky is surprisingly composed given its high strength. It doesn’t aggressively attack the senses but rather glides over the tongue with refined sweetness and spice. The fruit character remains central, framed by vanilla pod and a soft, biscuity maltiness. A whisper of citrus zest adds brightness. It’s a whisky that invites slow appreciation, especially as it opens up with time in the glass.
Despite being bottled at nearly 58%, it’s remarkably well-behaved, making it an excellent choice for a pre-dinner dram—flavourful without being palate-dominating. In an age where many whiskies lean towards dense, sherry-soaked richness, The Man O’Words offers a more nuanced, gastronomic experience that places elegance above intensity.
The Man O’Sword 10-Year-Old (58.8% ABV)
The peated sibling to Man O’Words, Man O’Sword shows how smoke can be used as a seasoning rather than a blunt force. There’s a distinctive whiff of peat on the nose—earthy and slightly coastal—but it’s gentle rather than bombastic, allowing the underlying distillery character to come through. Orchard fruits once again form the backbone: stewed apples, soft pears, and a little dried apricot. These are joined by sweet spices, a touch of coffee bean, and something unmistakably creamy—like cream soda or lightly sweetened vanilla milkshake.
The palate brings more complexity. The peat builds gradually but never dominates, mingling with roasted nuts, peppered barbecue meat, and charred oak. There’s a savoury quality—smoked bacon fat, perhaps—but it’s well-balanced by the fruity sweetness and a thread of molasses or dark caramel running through the mid-palate. Towards the finish, the peat dries slightly, leaving behind soft embers, cracked black pepper, and lingering toffee.
Again, despite its nearly 59% ABV, it’s very approachable without water, though a few drops open up more of the fruit and spice layers. This is a sophisticated peated whisky for those who want character without overwhelming smoke, with enough texture and balance to pair well with hearty food—or simply to enjoy on its own as a thoughtful evening dram.
Priced at £110 each, these whiskies allow you to explore Annandale’s single cask philosophy - a belief that whisky should be bottled only when it’s truly ready, judged by hand, nose, and experience, rather than an arbitrary timeline.
Each release is a product of careful cask selection rather than a predetermined schedule. While these 10-year-old whiskies mark a historic moment for the distillery, they are just the beginning of a new chapter that promises further exploration of age statement releases and the diversity of cask maturation.
Professor David Thomson reflects on the journey:
“Our motivation in restoring Annandale wasn’t just to bring back whisky-making to the South of Scotland but to elevate it beyond its former glory. We wanted to create world-class single cask, single malt whisky that speaks for itself - honest, distinctive, and full of character. Ten years on, we’re proud of what we’ve achieved, and we’re excited for what’s to come.”