Lindores Abbey Distillery launches members’ club

Lindores Abbey Distillery in Fife has opened sales for its Preservation Society, which will offer members the chance to win one of the distillery’s first Scotch whisky casks.

The site of Lindores Abbey Distillery

The distillery, which is in the final phases of construction, will see production brought back to the “spiritual home” of Scotch whisky for the first time in 500 years.

It is based on the grounds of Scotch whisky’s “oldest landmark” – Lindores Abbey – where the “world’s first” recorded whisky distillation occurred in 1494 when friar John Cor, a Lindores monk, was commissioned by King James IV to turn eight bolls of malt into ‘aqua vitae’.

Reflecting the history of the site, the Preservation Society will offer 1,494 memberships at a cost of £500. Members will be entered into a ballot to win a 200-litre ex-Woodford Reserve Bourbon cask filled with Lindores Abbey spirit that has been distilled in its first year of production.

The cask will be bottled for the winner at a date of their choosing once the spirit is three years and a day old. Lindores claims that by that time, the cask will be worth more than £7,000.

Drew McKenzie Smith marks the opening of Lindores Abbey Distillery’s Preservation Society with a symbolic tree planting

All members will also have a tree planted in on-site orchards; be given a bottle of Lindores Abbey Aqua Vitae; a bottle of the first distillery bottling of Lindores Abbey Single Malt whisky; first offer on any other limited edition bottlings; a welcome pack and wooden membership card entitling free entry to the distillery and visitor centre for themselves and a guest in their year of joining; annual invitation to the Lindores Abbey ‘Bear Burning’ Ceremony and party for themselves and a guest; 10% discount for the online shop and at visitor centre; plus 10% discount on venue hire.

The Preservation Society also offers £60 memberships that allow members to secure a first limited edition bottling of Lindores Abbey Aqua Vitae; early access to any other limited edition bottlings; a welcome pack including two tickets to visit the distillery and abbey and a 10% discount for the online shop.

Lindores Abbey Distillery will open on 1 August this year. The site, which fell into ruin after it was invaded in 1559, is now under the ownership of the McKenzie Smith family.

Distilling operations will be based in an enlarged old Abbey farm steading, which was built from original old Abbey stone and was most recently used as a dairy.

“Casks from the first year of revived production at Scotch whisky’s oldest landmark will be special indeed, and we are excited to offer this unique whisky ballot for enthusiasts around the world in our opening year,” said Drew McKenzie Smith, founder of Lindores Abbey Distillery.

“As custodians of Lindores Abbey, we have made a sincere commitment to protect this important landmark for future generations.”

He continued: “Our Preservation Society members will support the revival of so many ancient crafts and traditions, as we return Scotch Whisky’s oldest landmark to its former glory. The 1494 members of the Preservation Society will play a vital part in the story of Lindores Abbey Distillery, as we see life flourish here once again, as will all whisky fans and future pilgrims to this most special of places.”