Kilkerran

Produced in the neighboring distillery from Springbank, the Glengyle Distillery in Campbeltown, Kilkerran Single Malt Whisky is somewhat like a brother from Springbank Single Malt Whisky due to its almost common history and character of a light peated full-bodied single malt whisky. The Kilkerran 12 Years Old is one of the most renowned core-range distillery editions, and is the first whisky produced in the Glengyle Distillery since its memorable reopening in 2004. One of the most desired collectors’ items form Glengyle is the Kilkerran First Cask Edition, much loved for its savors that come with different cask styles used for these releases.

The name of Kilkerran derives from the Gaelic Ceann Loch Cille Chiarain, which is the original name of its hometown Campbeltown. Kilkerran Single Malt Whisky has never bore the name of the Glengyle Distillery, due to the fact that the rights of the name of Glengyle are owned by the Glen Scotia Distillery. The original Glengyle Distillery was founded as early as 1872 by William Mitchell, whose father Archibald Mitchell had already established his name as the founder- and owner of the Springbank Distillery. After a relatively short quick-start of half a century the Glengyle Distillery was shut down in 1925 and remained mothballed, until it was reopened in the early 21st century.

The men behind this reopening were Frank McHardy and Hedley G. Wright, the last mentioned of whom was one of William Mitchell’s ancestors, and the owner of Mitchell’s Glengyle Ltd. In that time era, the city of Campbeltown wasn’t fully accepted as a “whisky capital”. According to the Scotch Whisky Association, the one and only reason for this was the fact that Campbeltown had only two distilleries, and in order to receive an official status, a minimum of three distilleries was acquired. Therefore, Frank McHardy decided to revive the Glengyle Distillery, and after lingering in a dormant state for almost a century the Glengyle Distillery was steered back into full operations in 2004, by which it was the first reopened distillery in Campbeltown in hundred years!