Adelphi Selection

The Adelphi [a•DELL•fee] name is synonymous with Scotch distilling history, celebrated independent botting, and Scotland’s next-gen approach to whisky production.

In its first incarnation, Adelphi was associated with Loch Katrine Adelphi Distillery, which operated from 1826–1932 in Glasgow, becoming one of the largest malt & grain distilleries in Scotland during its pinnacle of production in the 1880s. The distillery was demolished in 1971 and the name went dormant, until twenty-two years later when Jamie Walker, the great-grandson of one of the distillery’s second owners, resurrected Adelphi as an independent bottler, intent on bringing rare, well-aged whiskies to market. As the story goes, Keith Falconer and Donald Houston approached Walker in 2003 with the interest of buying a whisky hogshead and were enamored enough by the entire enterprise that they subsequently bought the company. Joined by Alex Bruce in 2004, Adelphi rose to distinct heights as Scotland’s premier independent bottler with its Adelphi Selection series.

Adelphi Selection features single cask whiskies that achieve a delicate balance between rarity, age statement, and flavor that’s not only of the best character, but is distinct from previous bottlings. These gems are chosen by a panel of professional ‘noses’ helmed by Charles MacLean, one of Scotland’s most respected whisky authorities, who has held the title of Master of the Quaich, Scotch’s top honorific, since 2009. Bottling is done at cask strength with no chill filtration, and each selection, due to its single-cask nature, comprises 100–700 bottles.

Not a company to rest on its laurels, Adelphi continues to evolve, first by establishing a bonding and logistics facility in 2010 in Fife, and then in 2013, by breaking ground on its own distillery in Glenbeg. Ardnamurchan Distillery launched its first mature spirit in 2016 and continues to gain attention, not only due to the quality of its distillates, but for the facility’s keen eye towards sustainability. Whether bottling precious snapshots of Scotch-distilling heritage or spearheading the distillation of exciting new contributions to the category’s lineage, the Adelphi name continues to be met with esteem.

Read more about Adelphi’s Ardnamurchan Distillery.