A complete list of the lost distilleries of Scotland that closed in the 20th Century.

8th April 2021

How To Collect Lost Scottish Distilleries — Surviving buildings of Grange distillery, Burntisland, photographed in 2016.

Nothing captures the whisky enthusiast’s imagination so much as searching for a whisky that is impossible to find. In fact, there’s a famous inverse correlation that the collector’s reverence for a distillery increases in direct proportion to its unavailability.

Tracking down the last remaining liquid from a ‘lost’ distillery is not just another Sisyphean task, examples of single malts and single grains from the latter 20th century do remain and they can still be bought with surprising ease – for the time being at least.

What whisky lovers have long known – and the rest of the world is quickly discovering – is that the story of the twentieth century could well be told through the various rises and falls of the Scottish distillers. It is often said, only because it is so true, that each bottle from a long closed distillery is a time capsule and each sip is a portal into the past. It is also safe to say that when choosing what to buy, a whisky from a closed distillery will more likely retain its value, particularly if the distillery was destroyed and can never be rebuilt.

So apart from Port Ellen and Brora what whiskies from closed distilleries can you still bid on at auction today?
Here’s the complete list of all the Scottish distilleries that closed in the 20th century as well as links to available whiskies.

Adelphi/Loch Katrine Adelphi

1825-1907

Albyn

1830-1927

Annandale

1830-1921

Ardgowan

1896-1952

Ardlussa

1879-1923

Argyll

1844-1923

Auchnagie

1827-1912

Auchtermuchty/Stratheden

1829-1926

Auchinblae

1896-1926

Auchtertool

1845-1927

Ballechin

1810-1927

Bankier

1827-1928

Banff

1863-1983

Bellfield

1895-1901

Benachie

1822-1915

Benmore

1868-1927

Ben Morven (Gerston II)

1886-1911

Ben Wyvis

1879-1926

Ben Wyvis

1965-1977

Bladnoch

1817-1993

Bon Accord

1855-1910

Bo’ness

1813-1925

Burnside

1825-1924

Caledonian

1855-1988

Cambus

1806-1993

Camlachie / Whitevale Loch Katrine

1834-1920

Campbeltown

1817-1924

Carsebridge

1799-1983

Clydesdale

1825-1919

Clynelish / Brora

1819-1983

Coleburn

1897-1985

Convalmore

1894-1985

Dalaruan

1824-1922

Dalintober

1831-1925

Dean

1881-1922

Devanha

1827-1915

Drumcaldie

1896-1903

Dundashill

1770-1903

Garnheath / Glen Flagler / Killyloch

1965-1986

Gartloch

1897-1921

Glen Abyn

1844-1986

Glenaden

1882-1915

Glencawdor

1898-1983

Glencoull

1897-1929

Glendarroch / Glenfyne

1831-1937

Glenesk / Hillside

1897-1983

Glenfoyle

1826-1923

Glengyle

1873-1925

Glenlochy

1898-1983

Glenmavis

1795-1910

Glen Mhor

1892-1986

Glen Nevis

1877-1923

Glenside

1834-1926

Glenskiach

1896-1926

Glen Sciennes / West Skiennes

1825-1925

Glen Tarras

1839-1915

Glentully

1825-1910

Glenugie

1821-1983

Glenury Royal

1826-1986

Grange / Burntisland

1795-1925

Greenock

1795-1915

Hazelburn

1825-1925

Inverleven & Lomond

1938-1991

Isla

1851-1926

Kinclaith

1958-1975

Kinloch

1823-1926

Kintyre

1825-1921

Kirkliston

1795-1900

Ladyburn

1966-1975

Langholm

1765-1921

Lochhead

1824-1928

Lochindaal

1829-1929

Lochruan

1835-1925

Lochside

1957-1992

Malt Mill

1908-1962

Millburn

1807-1988

Nevis

1878-1908

North Port / Townhead / Brechin

1820-1983

Parkmore

1894-1931

Pollo

1817-1903

Port Ellen

1829-1983

Provanmill / Mile End / Milltown

1815-1929

Rieclachan

1825-1934

Rosebank

1798-1993

St Magdalene / Linlithgow

1798-1983

Saucel

1793-1917

Speyside

1895-1911

Springside

1830-1926

Strathdee

1821-1945

Strathmore / North Of Scotland

1957-1982

Stromness

1817-1928

Stronachie

1900-1928

Tambowie

1825-1910

Towiemore

1896-1930

Yoker

1770-1928