{"title":"Stratheden Distillery","description":"\u003ch3\u003eClosed in 1926\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eStratheden\u003c\/b\u003e (\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scottish_Gaelic\" title=\"Scottish Gaelic\"\u003eGaelic\u003c\/a\u003e: \u003ci\u003eSrath Aodainn\u003c\/i\u003e) Distillery was located in the hamlet of Stratheden 2 miles west of \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cupar\" title=\"Cupar\"\u003eCupar\u003c\/a\u003e, and just north of \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Springfield,_Fife\" title=\"Springfield, Fife\"\u003eSpringfield\u003c\/a\u003e, in \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fife\" title=\"Fife\"\u003eFife\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scotland\" title=\"Scotland\"\u003eScotland\u003c\/a\u003e. The hamlet currently comprises a psychiatric hospital and Stratheden Cottages, which were originally built to house the hospital staff.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe distillery was unusual in that it only ever had one owner – three successive generations of the \u003cem\u003eBonthrone\u003c\/em\u003e family. The \u003cem\u003eBonthrone’s\u003c\/em\u003e hailed from the area and according to whisky writer, Brian Townsend, were a \u003cem\u003e“…true malting, brewing and distilling dynasty.”\u003c\/em\u003e Ancestors of the family were brewers in nearby \u003cem\u003eFalkland\u003c\/em\u003e in the 1600’s. They also had local interests in baking and milling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eClosed due to the impact of prohibition in 1926, the distillery buildings still exist (in part) today with some original markings on the walls and doors hinting at its glorious past.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eStratheden was also known as Auchtermuchty towards the end of its distilling life. It was owned by the Bonthrone family, who had been significant local brewers and maltsters in the area, dating as far back as 1600.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe founder of the distillery was Alexander Bonthrone who reputedly distilled until his death in 1890. At 92 years old he became the oldest distiller in Scotland. His whisky was reputed to be 'one of the best.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the key attributes of this whisky was its unparalleled water source, known locally as the 'Lovers Pool'. It took three years to carve an aqueduct in solid granite to channel crystal clear water from the Lovers Pool to Stratheden Distillery's three water wheels. The water powered the entire site as well as contributing to the whisky's unique character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe great whisky explorer, Alfred Barnard, described it thus: 'It is splendid water, and as pure and sparkling as crystal.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"stratheden1 rtecenter\"\u003eThe Bonthrone Dynasty\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAlexander Bonthrone\u003c\/em\u003e (1798-1890) established the distillery in 1829, when he was 31 years old. He worked the stills for the next six decades – almost until his death in 1890 – making him one of \u003cem\u003eScotland’s\u003c\/em\u003e oldest distillers. In addition to his chosen profession, he held several civic titles. Bonthrone was at various times a Baillie to the burgh magistrate, Justice of the Peace, and a Municipal Councillor for \u003cem\u003eAuchtermuchty\u003c\/em\u003e. He sat on school boards, and church committees. A committed Liberal, he advised \u003cem\u003eHerbert Asquith\u003c\/em\u003e, the local Member of Parliament on whisky industry matters. \u003cem\u003eAsquith\u003c\/em\u003e later rose to become Prime Minister from 1908 to 1916 and curiously stood firmly against \u003cem\u003eLloyd George’s\u003c\/em\u003e proposal to introduce Prohibition in Britain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAlexander’s\u003c\/em\u003e younger brother, \u003cem\u003eJohn Bonthrone\u003c\/em\u003e (1799-1881), was described as \u003cem\u003e“…pioneer of the malt trade”\u003c\/em\u003e and was one of the first commercial maltsters in \u003cem\u003eScotland\u003c\/em\u003e. With an eye on commercial opportunities of industrial-scale maltings, he was instrumental in the construction of \u003cem\u003eFife and Kinross Railway\u003c\/em\u003e, with the station opening at \u003cem\u003eAuchtermuchty\u003c\/em\u003e in 1857.\u003cbr\u003e\nHis commitment to railway expansion as a means of expanding his own business interests, led him to invest in the \u003cem\u003eCity of Glasgow Bank\u003c\/em\u003e, which famously collapsed with debts of six million pounds in 1878. The shock of this incident, and loss of reputation was said to have contributed to his declining health and death three years later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBoth \u003cem\u003eAlexander\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eJohn’s\u003c\/em\u003e sons joined the business – \u003cem\u003eJohn Bonthrone (John jnr)\u003c\/em\u003e ran commercial maltings in _Newton of Falkland, Pitlessie, Perth, Ladybank _and \u003cem\u003eSt Monans_.\u003c\/em\u003e Alexander’s_ sons \u003cem\u003eJohn\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eWilliam\u003c\/em\u003e assisted him at the distillery – one of them is recorded as guiding \u003cem\u003eAlfred Barnard\u003c\/em\u003e round the distillery on his visit in 1887.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThus a picture emerges of a family dynasty of local worthies who participated in civic society and sought to influence others in their business interests, via various local municipal institutions. This may partly explain why they were given planning permission to construct their distillery in the centre of the town. The design was somewhat haphazard, and unusual to say the least. This included a plan to divert water from a source outside the town – the celebrated \u003cem\u003e“Lovers Pool.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe water then flowed via a specially constructed aqueduct to the distillery and down a man-made channel that, even today, effectively splits the town in two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSet in the centre of \u003cem\u003eAuchtermuchty\u003c\/em\u003e, the distillery was in the middle of flat farmland with the skyline dominated by the nearby \u003cem\u003eLomond Hills. “The Lomond’s”\u003c\/em\u003e were well known as the habitat of smugglers and illegal distillers, who in turn were supplied with malt by \u003cem\u003eJohn Bonthrone\u003c\/em\u003eas recently as 1828. Local characters included \u003cem\u003e“Lady Miller”\u003c\/em\u003ewho according to \u003cem\u003eBarnard\u003c\/em\u003e was \u003cem\u003e“…a most daring and masculine woman, who kept an illicit still in the hills, and for many years evaded the Law.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe distillery was unusual in that it was built in the centre of the town. Its origins pre-date the notion of courtyard-style distilleries, and as the business expanded, buildings were erected in different parts of the town as dictated by increasing demand. This included offices and separate maltings in nearby settlements of_ Newton of Falkland, Ladybank and Pitlessie._\u003cbr\u003e\nConstruction of the distillery was an arduous affair. The water source is a tributary of the Eden, channelled from the \u003cem\u003e“Lovers pool”\u003c\/em\u003e via an aqueduct and down past the distillery buildings in \u003cem\u003eBurnside Street.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis feat of construction took two years to complete. To route the stream through the town, 3000 cart loads of solid rock were blasted and hewn out, and then used to construct the walls of the lade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe distillery buildings themselves – the mill, the mash-house and the still-house, were all in a line down one side of \u003cem\u003eBurnside St\u003c\/em\u003e, adjacent to the re-directed stream. Each of these buildings was powered via a series of three water wheels. \u003cem\u003eBarnard\u003c\/em\u003e noted in admiration, there being \u003cem\u003e“…no other motive power in the distillery.”\u003c\/em\u003e A bonded warehouse was built, in the aptly named \u003cem\u003eDistillery Street.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the early years of \u003cem\u003eStratheden’s\u003c\/em\u003e life, Bere barley or \u003cem\u003e“Bygg”\u003c\/em\u003e would have been the preferred strain of barley. This type is _\"six-row barley\" _as opposed to the two rows of modern strains. It was relatively low-yielding, and produced grain of inconsistent size, therefore achieving a consistent level of sugars in malting remained a challenge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt remained the barley of choice until the late 1940’s, when two-row barley favoured by modern farmers became available. This modern strain produced a more full bodied, maltier style of barley, with higher yields and better tolerance to \u003cem\u003eScotland’s\u003c\/em\u003e climate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYeast cultures were harvested and re- used from the residue of washbacks after fermentation, although they were prone to contamination with bacteria and wild yeasts. Porter yeast (or brewer’s yeast) was preferred as it tolerated high worts gravity and temperature fluctuations. It also contributed to a heavier style of spirit. Commercial yeast was available from the 1870’s, with the \u003cem\u003eDistillers Company Limited (DCL)\u003c\/em\u003e building a yeast house at \u003cem\u003eCameronbridge Distillery.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGiven the proximity to \u003cem\u003eAuchtermuchty\u003c\/em\u003e, and the \u003cem\u003eBonthrone\u003c\/em\u003e family’s long experience in baking and brewing, they were better placed than most to develop consistent yeast cultures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBarnard\u003c\/em\u003e noted that peat was brought from \u003cem\u003eOrkney\u003c\/em\u003e to kiln the barley and to fire the tuns and stills. This was a reciprocal trade agreement via the recipients of \u003cem\u003eJohn Bonthrone’s\u003c\/em\u003e malting business – \u003cem\u003eOrkney\u003c\/em\u003e peats being preferred to local peats available on the \u003cem\u003eLomond Hills\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003cem\u003eOrkney\u003c\/em\u003e peats had a pronounced briny or medicinal note as it contained decomposed seaweed. These peats would contribute the particularly strong \u003cem\u003e“peat reek”\u003c\/em\u003e of \u003cem\u003eStratheden\u003c\/em\u003e whisky, which in turn contributed to the robust nature of the spirit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe mash tun is recorded by \u003cem\u003eBarnard\u003c\/em\u003e as being a copper vessel of 2000 gallons capacity for heating water, and a wooden tun 11 feet in diameter and 4 1⁄2 feet deep. Viewed in 1887, this part of the process has clearly not evolved from earlier in the century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe water seems to have been the star ingredient, with the water source described as \u003cem\u003e“…splendid water, and as pure and sparkling as crystal.”\u003c\/em\u003e The source of the \u003cem\u003eEden\u003c\/em\u003e is next to the hamlet of \u003cem\u003eBurnside\u003c\/em\u003e, to the north-west of the \u003cem\u003eLomond Hills\u003c\/em\u003e. The water is extremely soft, with a distinct earthy and salty edge to it. This would add a mild saline character to the whisky, suggesting more of a coastal style of spirit rather than a typical lowlander.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBarnard\u003c\/em\u003e reported that the stills were unusually small compared to the scale of the other parts of the process. The wash still and spirit still were 960 and 460 gallons respectively. The latter still purchased from a smuggler 60 years prior, meaning that this was the original still installed on opening in 1829. \u003cem\u003eAlexander Bonthrone\u003c\/em\u003e noted that he would not exchange his old stills for fifty newer versions twice the capacity, and he attributed the quality of the whisky to the water, and these small, old stills.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhisky distilled in the early 19th century was generally not aged. Duty in Lowland distilleries was paid on proof gallons produced – there was no incentive to watch it mature and evaporate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBonthrone\u003c\/em\u003e junior (\u003cem\u003eJohn\u003c\/em\u003e or \u003cem\u003eDavid\u003c\/em\u003e) noted in 1887 that five merchants took everything they could produce – clearly the distinctive spirit produced at \u003cem\u003eStratheden\u003c\/em\u003e was high quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe whisky produced at \u003cem\u003eStratheden\u003c\/em\u003e had a pronounced sherry influence in it. The distillery bonded warehouse records illustrate this – in December 1924 the bond in \u003cem\u003eAuchtermuchty\u003c\/em\u003e contained 475 hogsheads and 131 butts. This inventory was drawn up prior to the sale of the spirit in bond to \u003cem\u003eArthur Bell and Sons\u003c\/em\u003e. Reading the document it seems that \u003cem\u003eStratheden\u003c\/em\u003e closed in December 1916 in line with all other distilleries, and did not produce again until 1922.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"stratheden1 rtecenter\"\u003eThe End for Stratheden\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAlexander Bonthrone\u003c\/em\u003e died in 1890 – his sons took up the reins of running the distillery. Unfortunately they did not get on, and \u003cem\u003eJohn Bonthrone\u003c\/em\u003e largely left the running of the business to his brother \u003cem\u003eWilliam\u003c\/em\u003e. The early years of the 20th century were challenging for all distillers. The Liberal Government of 1908 was elected on a mandate for social reform, and was determined to drive down alcohol consumption at home. Duty was increased in the \u003cem\u003e“People’s Budget”\u003c\/em\u003e in 1909.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDuring World War One the government drafted a proposal to introduce Prohibition. As Minister for Munitions, \u003cem\u003eLloyd George\u003c\/em\u003edeplored drunkenness in the wartime workplace and considered alcohol consumption a greater threat to Britain than \u003cem\u003eImperial Germany’s\u003c\/em\u003e U-boats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs a compromise measure, compulsory bonding of three years was brought in by the \u003cem\u003eWine \u0026amp; Spirit Association\u003c\/em\u003e (the fore- runner to the \u003cem\u003eScotch Whisky Association\u003c\/em\u003e) and all distilleries were closed from December 1916. In 1918 duty increased again, from 14\/9 to 30 shillings on a gallon. In April 1919, it reached 50 shillings a gallon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1920 a further steep tax increase was introduced – this was restricted to the distilling industry, who were forbidden from passing this onto their customers. Britain entered an economic recession in late 1920, and the economy remained stagnant throughout the decade. Within the whisky industry, global sales in 1920 were only half the level enjoyed in 1900. Exports plummeted from 1,856,000 gallons in 1924 to 1,056,000 by 1928. In 1925 there were 124 distilleries working, but by 1929, that number had dropped to just 84.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAlfred Barnard\u003c\/em\u003e noted that the distillery was a curious mixture of the modern and traditional – the ingenious harnessing of the water and the somewhat outdated use of water wheels to power the plant. The \u003cem\u003eBonthrone’s\u003c\/em\u003e were not slow in exerting influence for commercial gain, yet they knew the value of using traditional, small batch pot stills. Whilst they maintained tradition in the distillery, they were quick to position themselves when the railway line opened in the town.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe challenges of the early 20th Century proved to be too much for \u003cem\u003eStratheden\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eWilliam’s\u003c\/em\u003e two sons ran the distillery after his death in 1919, although demand was so poor that they did not re-commence production until 1922. Successive duty increases, set alongside distilling costs that were higher than those of modern distilleries meant that margins were eroded to the point where there was little will in continuing. The final blow was the loss of its major export market, as the \u003cem\u003eUnited States\u003c\/em\u003e embarked on a decade of Prohibition from 1920. The distillery ceased production in late 1924, and closed for good in 1926. The maltings remained in use until the 1970’s. The bonded warehouses were bought by \u003cem\u003eArthur Bell\u003c\/em\u003e in 1931 and remained in use with \u003cem\u003eUnited Distillers\u003c\/em\u003e until 1989.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe old bonded warehouses still exist to this day in \u003cem\u003eDistillery Street.\u003c\/em\u003e Although now derelict, it cannot be knocked down due to its status as a listed building. The warehouse doors can still be seen to this day and clearly mark that it was a bonded warehouse. The colour that we have chosen for our label for \u003cem\u003eStratheden\u003c\/em\u003e matches the colours of those warehouse doors as they are today.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0613\/7177\/7177\/collections\/stratheden-distillery-148573.jpg?v=1720852103","url":"https:\/\/vintagewineandspirits.com\/collections\/stratheden-distillery.oembed","provider":"Vintage Wine \u0026 Spirits ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}