Lochside

In celebration of our July event, we are delighted to be offering a whisky from the historically unique and enigmatic Lochside distillery in Montrose.

Scotch whisky is characterised by the transient nature of its existence, as distilleries that were once emblematic of a particular town or region have gradually faded away, transforming into more streamlined and less labour-intensive operations, or vanishing altogether. The absence of these distilleries has made people realise the value of what they had, as the stone and brick structures that housed them have gradually disappeared over the years.

What sets whisky apart from others is its ability to encapsulate a moment in time within each bottle, serving as a tangible link to the past. This is particularly evident in our Dunfermline whisky ethos, where we strive to ensure that as many individuals as possible have the opportunity to savour a taste of liquid history.

Prior to 2005, visitors to Montrose would have likely come across the Lochside distillery, distinguished by its brewery-inspired tower that made it a prominent feature overlooking the town. Unfortunately, Lochside fell victim to the wave of distillery closures that began in the 1980s across Scotland. Somewhat annoyingly, had it managed to survive a bit longer, it might have benefitted from the increasing popularity of single malt whisky in recent years. Nevertheless, its elevated position and distinctive architecture serve as a stark reminder of the significant loss suffered by Scotland's whisky industry.

Lochside's origins can be traced back to 1781 when the site functioned as a brewery. It underwent a transformation into a distillery in 1957, having previously operated as the Deuchars’ beer brewery. Many whisky distilleries have their roots in former breweries, such as Glen Albyn in Inverness, which repurposed existing structures for their new operations. In our research of Dunfermline's history of whisky production, there is knowledge of a brewery located near the Abbey, where a distillery was clandestinely operated in the lower levels.

The distinctive appearance of Lochside, resembling a Victorian institution or factory rather than a typical whisky distillery, can be partly attributed to its original purpose. In 1833, the brewery underwent reconstruction and was subsequently renamed Lochside. Further sizeable work took place in the 1880s and credit for the design of these new structures goes to Charles C. Doig, who is renowned for his contribution to the whisky distillery architecture. What we are most familiar with was designed and built in 1889, including a four-storey tower with elements of the French Renaissance.

Doig's designs drew inspiration from the Bauhaus movement prevalent in Belgium and Germany, and he incorporated the distinctive tower in Lochside's design. Additionally, he ingeniously utilised the force of gravity in organising the internal production process.

The man responsible for commissioning Lochside’s new purpose in 1957 was Canadian Joseph Hobbs; a very colourful character by all accounts who had a long history in the alcohol business.

His ties to alcohol dated back to the Prohibition era, when he used a fleet of vessels to transport contraband to the west coast of America. By the late 1930s, he had invested in distilleries like Bruichladdich, Glenlochy, and Glenesk through partnerships. Despite the disruption caused by World War 2, Joseph's skills in navigating these circles were evident. In the 1930s, he had established Macnab Distilleries, and later in 1955, he bought the Ben Nevis distillery in Fort William, living locally at Inverlochy castle. The following year, he turned his attention to Montrose and Lochside, reviving the name of his earlier venture.

Indeed, the acquisition of the McNab name by Joseph emphasised his aspiration to resurrect the Glenmavis distillery in Bathgate, which ceased operations in 1910 and was run by a McNab. Alongside obtaining the name, Joseph envisioned establishing a sizeable grain distillery at a central location. However, due to the project's failure to materialise, Joseph redirected his focus to other endeavours, such as Montrose.

Joseph placed a high importance on his autonomy in the realm of whisky, preferring not to depend on agreements with competitors to source materials for his blends. In essence, he wanted to be in fully control of his business affairs and ability to fill orders. Keen to avoid any potential scarcity, he devised a distinctive approach at both Ben Nevis and Lochside distilleries. This involved the establishment of a distillery that produced both grain and malt whisky on the same premises. Something that seems very logical, but was unusual at the time.

Lochside was established as a grain distillery utilising a two column Coffey still, but the installation of 2 pairs of pot stills in 1961 enabled the production of malt whisky. This transformation equipped Hobb with the necessary tools to blend both styles of spirit before maturation, a technique he termed 'blending at birth', which stirred up debate within the whisky community.

'Once the well-known James Deuchar brewery, it has been a distillery since 1957. The premises are on a filled-in loch, hence the name.' Michael Jackson, 1989.

Historically, the blending process took place after the maturation period, with a brief period of marrying the components together if required. In this way, the results could be controlled and determined. However, the blending at birth practice was based on the desire to produce blending whisky from outset, without much control or vision. This approach has resulted in several Lochside independent bottlings being released after the distillery's closure, showcasing a varied combination of both grain and malt whiskies.

Upon Hobb's demise in 1964, the custom of 'blending at birth' and a nonchalant demeanor came to a halt, with his son, Joe Junior, taking control. The distillery ceased operations in 1971, but this was only temporary as by 1973, the distillery was re-established by the Spanish company Destilerias Y Crianza (DYC).

The increasing desire for whisky in Spain led DYC to search for additional inventory, and the quality of Lochside stocks would elevate their assortment of products, which includes the Sandy MacNab blended whisky. Lochside would be primarily exported to Spain for its local market for a considerable period, with limited distribution elsewhere.

Lochside

'Lochside Distillery in Montrose was closed but not then considered lost. Regrettably, the situation has changed and the distillery, whilst still standing, has been cleared of plant and awaits the demolition men. Only the law can stop them.' Wallace Milroy, 1998.

In 1987, the owners of Lochside distillery recognised the opportunity of their single malt whisky investment and decided to release a 10 year old expression under the MacNab Distilleries label. This marked a significant milestone for Lochside, as was an official bottling. However, the fate of Lochside took a turn in 1992 when the Spanish company that owned the distillery was acquired by Allied Distillers. Unfortunately, this acquisition led to the discontinuation of Lochside's single malt production, and gradually, the remaining stock in the warehouse diminished until 1996.

There is one report from author Wallace Milroy, of friends visiting Mallorca in the late 1990s and purchasing bottles of Lochside for 1100 Pesetas a bottle, which back then was roughly £4.50 inlcuding tax!

Fast forward to 2015, the distillery was sold to developers who wasted no time in demolishing the iconic landmark that once graced the Montrose skyline. Today, the site where Lochside distillery once stood is now occupied by residential housing and a supermarket. The only remnants of Lochside's legacy can be found in the form of bottled whisky, and we look forward to opening such a bottle as part of our July event.

Please note that all of the old photographs in this article have been enhanced by AI to make the visuals much more clear.