Scotia Royale 12 Years Old Blended Rare Scotch Whisky

43% abv 750 ml As the label proclaims, there is a close association between this old blend and Glen Scotia Distillery, one of the few survivors of the great Campbeltown distillery cull of the 1920’s when almost all the establishments there were either closed or dismantled. The brand was one of a handful marketed by A. Gillies & Co (Distillers) Ltd of Glasgow who, for a time, owned Glen Scotia. It was also found as a 21-Year-Old in a decanter presentation, but the 12 Years Old is the better-known version and this 1970’s example is the rarest of the rare as it comes with the eagle back of the bar display unit which is included in the price. Despite good sales in Japan and the USA it was eventually withdrawn from sale. This product is located in Australia. About the distiller A. Gillies & Company (Distillers) Limited This company’s early history and list of brands, as recorded at pages 224-5 of “The Schweppes Guide to Scotch”, is clearly sketchy and further research brought additional information to light which we set out here. A. Gillies & Co was founded by Sir Maurice Bloch, who was behind whisky blender and broker Bloch Brothers*, which were also distillers as they owned Scapa and Glen Scotia distilleries for a period. A. Gillies & Co. acquired the Glen Scotia distillery in 1955 from Hiram Walker*, which had itself secured the distillery 12 months earlier from the very same Bloch Bros. In the same year the company bought the disused warehouses of Ardlussa and Glen Nevis, neighbouring distilleries in Campbeltown. They, however, had both closed in 1923, although their warehouses were combined in 1936 as Glen Nevis and Ardlussa Warehouses as a blending and bottling facility. A. Gillies & Co. held the Glen Scotia license until its mothballing in 1984. Following ADP’s failed bid to purchase Distillers Company Ltd* in 1985, A. Gillies & Co, along with ADP’s distilling interests, which included Glen Scotia and Littlemill distilleries, were sold to Gibson International. The latter was later acquired by Glen Catrine Bonded Warehouse Ltd* in 1994, where A. Gillies & Co. remains a subsidiary under the name AG Bowling Ltd. The Scotia Royale and Old Court brands were transferred to Loch Lomond Distillers* in 2014. Additional Brand Burberrys Blended Scotch Whisky