History

The first written evidence of distilling in Scotland dates from the 13th Century, but tradition suggests that the Scots may have been producing the ‘water of life’ since around the 5th century. Throughout the intervening centuries the production of whisky, both legal and illicit, became synonymous with Scotland, especially in the area around Speyside - now the center of the whisky universe. Unfortunately, such is the predominance of whisky production now - with the focus on brand awareness, that the role that Speyside and the River Spey have played in the history of Scotland and indeed the UK, are often overlooked. So, here's a very quick introduction to the history of Speyside and where the name Leinburn came from.

Moray, the county encompassing Speyside, provided Scotland with its most famous king in 1040.

After defeating the despotic King Duncan in battle near Elgin, Macbeth the Mormaer of Moray, was crowned King of Scotland by popular decree, and contrary to the Shakespearian myth, would preside over a period of unprecedented peace until his death in 1057.

The Royal connections continue some 600 years later when, in 1650, during the English Civil War &  following his father’s beheading by Cromwell, King Charles II returned from his exile in The Hague and first set foot in his Kingdom when he landed at the mouth of the Spey and there signed The Solemn League and Covenant.

To this day the local villagers of Garmouth and Kingston hold an annual fete to celebrate the event.

Speybuilt Brig 'Waverley' featured on the 1st Australian $5 note

There was already a long tradition of timber exports from the vast Caledonian Pine forests of Speyside  through the Port of Garmouth, when, in 1786, the first Speyside shipyard opened in neighbouring Kingston. Almost overnight an industry was born, producing ships of up to 800 tons for use in the merchant fleet sailing to the Baltic, Americas, East Indies, China & Australia, as well as the Napoleonic Wars.

Over the next 100 years Kingston was reputed to be the largest shipbuilding port in Scotland (some sources claim the UK), with shipyards launching over 600 ships, until the onset of iron built shipping (for which The Spey wasn't deep enough) finally brought the industry to a close at the turn of the 20th Century.

Records from this era record that the launching of a new ship was accompanied by the enjoyment of the local whisky, and although government regulation of whisky production had recently been introduced, there were still many hundreds of illicit distilleries. It is probable that the whisky used to christen each ship would have been produced close to the shipyards and the little Leinburn that ran through them.

The days of illicit distilling are now long gone along with the shipyards, and today Leinburn is produced by one of the foremost distilleries in Speyside using the soft pure waters from springs that rise high up in the heather clad hills surrounding the River Spey. These waters, along with locally malted barley and yeast, are the only ingredients used to make Leinburn. These simple and natural ingredients are fermented in stainless steel washbacks to produce the  ‘wash’ which is then double distilled in gleaming copper potstills, to produce a fresh, light and aromatic young spirit from which the stillsman selects only the finest, middle cut. Only this finest middle cut goes on to grace the inside of the hand picked Oloroso and Fino Sherry casks that are used to store and mature the spirit in traditional warehouses overlooking the river valley. When a period of 12 long years of maturing and mellowing has passed then, and only then, is the whisky allowed to be called Leinburn 12yo Speyside.

The result is a spectacular golden single malt, full bodied with a long, sweet, yet dry, sherryness that makes an ideal after dinner dram.