Review 228. Clydeside: Glasgow's 'other' whisky pearl...

While it’s too soon to actually declare the (Scotch) whisky industry in crisis, there’s no denying quite a few warning lights have started flickering and flashing. So while ‘recession’ might be too big of a word to use at the moment, ‘stagnation’ definitely seems appropriate. The pre pandemic whisky revival followed by a significant increase in sales and investment schemes  during the pandemic might have blinded many in the industry, but almost mid 2025 it seems as if very little of that enthusiasm remains. Occasionally, those somewhat ‘late’ to the party still managed to hit the ground running – the name Ardnahoe springs to mind, but for many others, whatever fortune or dreams they envisioned when starting the expensive and time consuming endeavour of planning and building a distillery, might sometimes turn out to become castles made of sand. The list of distilleries that have had to file for bankruptcy just the past year, doesn’t bode well. Both within Scotland and beyond, for that matter. Those who manage, are likely bracing themselves for some tough times ahead – mainly by lowering their production, delaying further investments and collaborations or ‘reevaluating’ those already running. Which usually means pulling the plug on them. If even a juggernaut like Midleton slows down its production, you know things aren’t exactly going well. The rising tides lift all the ships.  But I’ve said it quite a few times already: when the storm rolls in to the harbour, it tends to be the smaller boats that take the heaviest beating.’

What a way to kick off reviews again after the Easter break, huh?! I know I don’t exactly sound like mr. Sunshine here, but the state of whisky – particularly Scotch whisky – today, reads like a product facing all the traps and perils of an overheated and  oversaturated market. And while, fortunately, we still get to relish and find excitement and joy in those new wave distilleries that did manage to establish themselves when the time was right – Ardnamurchan, Raasay, to a certain extent also Kingsbarns, Lindores Abbey , Nc’Nean… there’s also plenty of other new kids on the block who somehow remained a bit under most people’s radar. Sometimes because they’re just a bit nonsensical in the way they market and position themselves like Annandale (nice and innovative with their Man o’ Words vs Man o’ Swords releases, but a tad too pricey) or Arbikie (again an interesting take on scotch by re-introducing rye as a Scotch whisky category, but shooting themselves in the foot by selling their stuff as if their bottles are worth their weight in gold). Others just didn’t really got hyped but are almost quietly going about their business – hopefully not too quiet. Glen Wyvis springs to mind, and I feel Glasgow based Clydeside distillery is one of those almost ‘unobtrusive’ newcomers as well.

(c) distillery website

The Clydeside single cask “Legfest bottling”. Matured in an ex red wine cask between 1.12.2019 and 30.9.2023. 61.5% ABV, app. £70 (assumed price based on other single cask releases)

Despite not always being given the same attention as the aforementioned 21st century star distilleries, The Clydeside does seem to have ‘star potential’. With a capacity of producing 500,000 LPA it’s quite moderate in scale, but possibly more impoirtantly;, they have a story to tell that just sits well. It can pride itself in being 1 of 2 of the new wave of Glasgow located distilleries, as they were founded in 2017,  just 2 years after Glagow 1770 became operational – bringing back whisky making to Scotland’s biggest city. Located at the heart and centre of Glasgow’s former shipping industry, The Clydeside is built right on the sight of the former pumphouse at the Queens Dock, which was used to operate the hydraulic pumps that would allow ships in and out of the dock. And there’s more. Founded by AD Rattray owner Tim Morisson, it was his great grandfather that designed the very pumphouse where the distillery finds itself today. Talk about going full circle.

Seeing how Roy recently did a vPub on Glaswegian whisky and also seeing how I had a sample from one of their single cask releases in the cabinet (another deep bow to the gentleman that is Nic Stilton Massey is due here), I thought I’d grab the occasion to throw in my 2 cents. Clydeside has a core range these days -with The Stobcross  (named after a once famous cross on the road to Dumbarton where later a village was established  which in turn was then again  ‘usurped’  by Glasgow’s shipping industry. The location of Stobcross coincides with where the Queen’s Dock was built) and more recently Napier (named after Robert Napier who played a prominent role in Glasgow shipbuilding’s history in the late 19th century). They also release single cask , cask strength releases matured or finished in different types of wood. The one at hand today comes from an ex red wine cask and was lovingly dubbed ‘the legfest edition’, after  Canadian barfly Jimmy Leg’s  (not necessarily his real name) annual September visits to Glasgow.

Nose

Lots and lots of (overripe) fruity sweetness -  a downright fruit basket even. Berries, banana, mango, lychee and red apples: it’s all there. With a bit of time in the glass things develop towards a gummy bear candy sweetness and there’s a shy grassy – hay like note with an even softer grainy astringency underneath, just enough to counterbalance all that sweetness. Closing the deal, I’m picking up hints of chocolate an toffee. It’s very nice and seductive in its own right, but with a bit of extra water added, the fruit only becomes more prominent, with a distinct syrupy element as well.

Palate

Sweet, dense arrival with again a lot of fruit and some chocolate just managing to make themselves known before the high ABV kicks in. Adding water is recommended as it allows for plenty of loveliness. Sweet fruit with a well in-check peppery element from dark/bitter chocolate, which again provides enough counterbalance to all those very sweet fruit notes. Dense, vibrant and bursting with flavour. I have to remind myself that this isn't even 4 years old!

Finish

Long, sweet and then increasingly drying.

Final thoughts

I only previously tried the Stobcross, which I thought was an OK, decent yet somewhat unremarkable whisky. This however, is a different ballgame. There’s a lot (and I do mean A LOT) happening here, with plenty of flavour, excellent texture and a lovely balance. Very good stuff this, and even more impressive if you bear in mind this  whisky isn’t even 4 years old yet. I’m repeating myself here, and there’s a saying in Dutch about ‘one swallow not making Spring’ (meaning you can’t draw big conclusions based on one example), but this definitely triggers me to try and discover more from them. I’m by no means a huge fan of wine cask matured or finished whisky, but when it’s good, it’s good. And this is really good!