Lindores Abbey 1494 Members Edition

An official Lindores Abbey single malt, bottled at 49.4%. The outturn was 1494 bottles. Founded in 2017 by Drew and Helen McKenzie Smith, Lindores Abbey distils where a monk made aqua vitae for the king in 1494. The late Dr Jim Swan shaped its cask policy, with his signature shaved, toasted and recharred red wine barriques.

The spirit was made in copper pot stills from barley grown on the abbey grounds, for a rich, fruity young spirit. Maturation in an active cask lent red fruit and spice. The cool Fife climate gives a steady maturation by the Tay. The abbey ruins still stand beside the modern distillery buildings. The bottle shape is drawn from a 12th century pillar found in the abbey ruins. The 1494 Exchequer Rolls record a Lindores monk making aqua vitae for the king, the earliest written reference to Scotch. Michael Jackson wrote that for the whisky lover Lindores is a pilgrimage. The distillery was built in 2017 by Drew and Helen McKenzie Smith, whose family has held the land since 1913.

At 49.4%, undiluted, it is rich and layered. The Rum cask brings brown sugar and a tropical lift. A vanilla and a baking spice give it depth. Orchard fruit and a baking spice see out the finish. This is a rich, fruity young Fife single malt.