Carsebridge Grain Whisky Distillery 1799 - 1983

Carsebridge Alloa also known as Kerse Bridge

Founded between 1799 and 1804 by John Bald in what was once a rural setting a mile north east of Alloa.

The distillery was listed as owned by John Bald & Co from 1813 a partnership with his eldest son Robert Bald who inherited the distillery on his father’s passing in 1844.

The following year Robert sold the distillery to his brother John who took the distillery forward installing a Coffey still during 1851-52 and changing production from malt to grain distillation.

The distillery expanded during the following years and became a founder member of DCL in 1877.

Alfred Bernard Visit 1886

At the time of Alfred Bernard’s visit the distillery production was the second-third largest in Scotland and was under the management of Colonel Bald Harvey, John Bald’ nephew, at the time

Alfred Bernard described the distillery as a covering over 10 acres with two huge granaries holding 3,000 tons of grain.

Four kilns,

Mash house with seven mash tuns,

Twenty five wash backs, if they had been all full at the same time nearly a half million of worts would have been fermenting.

Two still houses each with a Coffey still.

Eight boilers driving 14 steam engines

The spirit store had four large vats with a total capacity of 23,000 gallons

Annual output was from 1.4 million to 1.7 million gallons of grain spirit.

Twelve bonded warehouses

A cooperage

The distillery employed 150 men.

The main disadvantage was that the distillery did not have any, of at the time, modern transport links (Railway Canal) and everything was brought in and out by road, Horse and cart at 1 ton at a time.

The distillery under DCL remained largely unrecorded and was transferred to Scottish Grain Distillers management in 1966. They added another Coffey still and Dark Grains Plant.

The distillery was closed in 1983 as a result of the downturn Most of the buildings demolished and the site turned over to a local development authority as a business park.

Carsebridge Grain Whisky Distillery Bottlings

No official Distillery bottlings

Carsebridge Grain Whisky Distillery

Independent Bottlings

Chieftain’s

Clan Denny (Douglas Laing)

Duncan Taylor Collection

Kingsbury (Japan Import Systems)

Lonach

Rare Auld (Duncan Taylor)

Carsebridge 1979 - 25 year old Single Grain Scotch Whisky.

Duncan Taylor Cask Bottling: No: 32901

Colour: Gold.

Nose: Rich, syrupy and fruity.

Flavour: Sweet fruits, bananas with a biscuity edge.

Finish: Oily and lingering.

Comments:  Great sipping whisky.

Carsebridge Distillery

Alloa

Closed Demolished

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