North British
North British is a large grain whisky distillery in Edinburgh, founded in 1885, whose spirit goes mainly into blends but is widely bottled as single grain by independent bottlers.
- Country
- GB-SCT
- Region
- Lowlands
- Founded
- 1885
- Owner
- Lothian Distillers (Diageo and Edrington)
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North British stands in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh and has been making grain whisky since 1885. It was set up by blenders who wanted a reliable supply of their own grain spirit, and it is still one of the biggest distilleries in Scotland. Today it is run by Lothian Distillers, a joint venture between Diageo and Edrington.
Unlike a malt distillery, North British uses column stills that run continuously, and its main cereal has long been maize rather than malted barley. Maize gives a grain whisky that is soft, rounded and sweet, with notes that with long ageing turn to vanilla, coconut, toffee and tropical fruit.
Most of the spirit is used in blended Scotch, so official single grain releases are rare. The bottles a buyer meets come mostly from independent bottlers: Douglas Laing's Old Particular, Signatory Vintage's Cask Strength Collection, Hunter Laing, Duncan Taylor, Murray McDavid, The Cooper's Choice from The Vintage Malt Whisky Company and That Boutique-y Whisky Company, among others.
Old single casks of North British, such as the 50 Year Old 1962 Directors' Cut or the many casks from the late 1980s and early 1990s, often cost far less than malts of the same age. That makes it a popular way to try very mature whisky.
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North British
Single Cask
North British
North British Thompson Bros Single Grain Scotch 34 year old Whisky
North British
Single Cask
North British
North British Fragrant Drops Single Grain Scotch 1991 33 year old Whisky
North British
North British The Incorporation Edition Single Grain Scotch 1960 58 year old Whisky
North British
North British 17 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish (Darkness) Grain Whisky
North British
North British 17 Year Old 2008 (cask 5949596) Amontillado Cask - The O Grain Whisky
North British
North British Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection Single 1991 34 year old Whisky
North British
North British Infrequent Flyers Single Ozark Virgin Oak Cask #71 1992 33 year old Whisky
North British
The Octave North British 2009 15 Year Old #5943459 LFW Exclusive
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About whiskies
Whisky (or whiskey) is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains are used including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, which gives it its distinctive color and complex flavor profile.
Each bottling represents a unique expression with specific characteristics like age, cask type, and alcohol strength.
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