Kingsbarns
A New Lowland Distillery
One of the newest distilleries in Scotland, Kingsbarns was established in East Neuk, Fife, in 2014, with its first expression of Lowland single malt whisky appearing in 2018. The distillery was conceived by former golf caddie Douglas Clement. The area of Fife in which the distillery is located, close to St Andrews, is deep golf country, and Clement was able to raise the initial capital investment for the distillery through golfing contacts for whom he worked on the range. Eventually his efforts drew the attention of the Wemyss family, owners of Wemyss Malts, who took over the business, leaving Clement as director.
The flagship single malt from Kingsbarns is the Dream to Dram, which was matured in first-fill ex-Bourbon casks from Heaven Hill distillery in Kentucky and first-fill wine barriques. This was followed by Kingsbarns Doocot – a malt in the distillery’s signature smooth, fruity-floral style, but with additional time in cask. Meanwhile Kingsbarns Balcomie is the distillery’s signature Sherry cask-aged release, matured in American oak butts previously used to age oloroso Sherry.
