Lindores Abbey Distillery: The Spiritual Home of Scotch

Overview

Lindores Abbey Distillery stands beside the ruins of Lindores Abbey at Newburgh in Fife. It calls itself the “spiritual home of Scotch whisky”. The oldest known written record of whisky-making in Scotland, in the Exchequer Rolls of 1494, records “eight bolls of malt to Friar John Cor” of Lindores Abbey to make aqua vitae. More than five centuries later, a new distillery began work here in December 2017. Its first single malt, named MCDXCIV after that famous year, was released in 2021.

Where it is

The distillery is just east of Newburgh, on the south shore of the Firth of Tay, opposite the abbey ruins. Perth is about 12 miles west, Dundee about 15 miles north-east over the Tay, and Edinburgh about 1 hour south.

The full history

The abbey and Friar John Cor

Lindores Abbey was founded in 1191 by David, Earl of Huntingdon, brother of King William the Lion, for monks of the Tironensian order. The monks farmed the rich land along the Tay and were skilled in brewing and distilling. In 1494 the royal accounts recorded malt sent to Friar John Cor “wherewith to make aqua vitae” for King James IV. It is the earliest written evidence of Scotch whisky. The abbey was sacked by Reformers in 1559 and fell into ruin.

The McKenzie Smith family

The abbey stands on Lindores Abbey Farm, which Drew McKenzie Smith’s grandfather bought in 1913. Drew and his family set out to build a distillery opposite the ruins and bring distilling home. It opened with three copper stills from Forsyths of Rothes, and the first spirit ran in December 2017. The family is no longer involved with the distillery.

Aqua Vitae and MCDXCIV

While the whisky matured, the distillery sold Lindores Aqua Vitae, a spirit flavoured with herbs, in the spirit of Friar John Cor’s original. In 2021 it released its first single malt, Lindores Single Malt Scotch Whisky MCDXCIV, the Roman numerals for 1494.

How it’s made

Lindores has three stills made by Forsyths, and was planned to make about 150,000 litres of spirit a year. The whisky is matured for around five years before release, mainly in bourbon, sherry and wine casks. The style is fruity and Lowland.

Clans, earls & saints

• The Leslies: after the Reformation, the abbey lands were made into the lordship of Lindores for Patrick Leslie, the first Lord Lindores.
• The Macduff Earls of Fife: on the hill above Newburgh stands the base of Macduff’s Cross, where members of Clan Macduff could claim sanctuary. See also MacDuff’s Castle.
• The Stewart kings hunted at Falkland Palace, 10 miles south. See Clan Stewart.

Stones, lochs & the Tay

• The Mugdrum Cross: a tall Pictish cross-shaft standing above Newburgh. See our standing stones guide.
• Lindores Loch, a small loch just south-east of the distillery, and Loch Leven, about 15 miles south-west. See our lochs guide.
• The Firth of Tay, with views north to the Carse of Gowrie and the Sidlaw hills.

Newburgh

Newburgh, a mile from the distillery, is an old royal burgh on the Tay. It received its charter from Alexander III in 1266. Its long main street was once busy with salmon fishing, linen weaving and boats trading on the Tay. The small Laing Museum tells the town’s story and that of the abbey. Above the town, the Ochil hills give wide views over the Tay estuary to Perth and Dundee.

Visiting

Lindores Abbey Distillery has a visitor centre with tours that include the abbey ruins, plus a café and shop. Book ahead on the distillery’s website. See our Fife guide for more.

Nearby distilleries

• Daftmill, near Cupar (about 8 miles).
• Aberargie, near Bridge of Earn (about 8 miles).
• InchDairnie, Glenrothes (about 14 miles).
• Eden Mill, St Andrews (about 18 miles).
• Kingsbarns (about 25 miles), with tours.

The Fife Whisky Trail and the whisky hub cover the region.

Sources

• Lindores Abbey distillery — Wikipedia.
• Lindores Abbey — Wikipedia.
• National Records of Scotland (Exchequer Rolls, 1494).