Lowland & Campbeltown: Elegance & Rarity

In this episode of the Scotch Whisky Discovery Series, we explore two Scottish regions that fought for survival in drastically different ways. The Lowlands offer approachable, elegant whisky through modern urban revival, while Campbeltown tells a darker story of near-extinction and stubborn persistence.

We start with the tragic tale of Duncan McCallum, who bought Glen Scotia Distillery in 1924 hoping to save Campbeltown whisky. By 1930, economic collapse and mounting pressure drove him to take his own life in Campbeltown Loch. Today, distillery workers claim his ghost still walks the facility.

From over 20 simultaneous distilleries in the 1880s, Campbeltown crashed to just two survivors by 1934. What saved it? Hedley Wright's 2004 decision to reopen Glengyle Distillery after 125 years, bringing the count to three and securing regional status.

Whiskeys Tasted:

Glasgow 1770 Triple Distilled (92 proof) - Lowland elegance

Glen Scotia 15 Year Old (92 proof) - Century of survival

Kilkerran Cask Strength - Traditional revival

Links:

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Next episode: Independent bottlers who curate exceptional casks outside corporate constraints.

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