The team behind independent bottler Living Souls has announced the launch of the ‘farm to glass’ Drummygar Distillery.

Drummygar is led by Living Souls Founder John Torrance, whose quarter-century of distilling experience spans Diageo, Douglas Laing, and Living Souls. Zak Shenfield, formerly of Strathearn Distillery and BrewDog, has been appointed Operations Director and Head Distiller. Drummygar also draws on the expertise of Living Souls Co-Founders Calum Leslie and Jamie Williamson. Calum was previously Head of Innovation at Loch Lomond Group, while Jamie enjoyed stints at Old Curiosity Distillery and Douglas Laing before starting his own spirits distributor, Kilninian Drinks Co.

Located near Arbroath, the small working Drummygar farm uses heritage Chevallier barley sustainably tended by Clydesdale horses. Chevallier was the dominant barley in British whisky production throughout the 19th century, before falling out of favor due to changes in tax rules.

The distillery’s equipment includes a traditional manual mash tun, three 1000L copper alembic stills, and four 2000L fermenters. The distillery will primarily age spirit in first-fill bourbon casks, supported by sherry, wine, and specialist varieties. Drummygar anticipates year one production to reach 30,000 Litres of Pure Alcohol (LPA).

Production at Drummygar commenced in August 2025, and the distillery expects to release its first whiskies in the mid-to-late 2030s.

Source: Drummygar Distillery.

Living Souls, a Scottish independent bottler specializing in small batch and single cask releases, has announced its Batch #2 collection.

The Living Souls Batch #2 collection includes:

Living Souls Ninety-Nine & One:
An NAS (No Age Statement) Blended Scotch Whisky born from a happy accident at an undisclosed distillery, blending a heavily peated island malt with a touch of grain, bottled just as it was discovered. 46.3% ABV. RRP £58.50.

Living Souls 10 Year Old Balblair:
A Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Balblair distillery finished in Limousin oak XO octaves, exhibiting a delicate balance of creamy vanilla and warm spice. 46.0% ABV. RRP £55.

Living Souls 25 Year Old Dumbarton:
A Single Grain Scotch Whisky from the closed Dumbarton distillery, with notes of pick ‘n’ mix sweets, creamy coconut, and soft vanilla. 50.5% ABV. RRP £82.

Living Souls 40 Year Old Blended Scotch:
A blend of 40% malt (including Glenfarclas, Fettercairn, and Glen Garioch) and 60% grain, mostly from the closed Cambus distillery, drawn from ex-Islay sherry butts with dialed-up tropical fruit notes and a whisper of smoke. 45.1% ABV. RRP £125.

Living Souls’ Batch #2 will be available from specialist retailers throughout the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. A complete list of stockists can be found at whiskysouls.com.

Source: Living Souls.

Living Souls, a new Scottish independent bottler specializing in small batch and single cask releases, has announced its official launch.

Living Souls is the brainchild of three industry contemporaries: John Torrance, a spirit sourcing specialist who formerly served as head of operations at Douglas Laing and general manager at Tullibardine; Jamie Williamson, founder of UK spirits distributor Kilninian Drinks Co.; and Calum Leslie, creator of PeatReekers and ex-head of innovation at Loch Lomond Group.

Living Souls’ inaugural collection, Batch #1, is comprised of four whiskies:

Living Souls 15 Year Old Blended Scotch:
Drawn from Living Souls’ solera system, to which exciting new whiskies are continually added, this blend is bottled at 46% ABV and evokes the casual opulence of a twilight dinner by the coast with notes of sherry and tapas-style meats. RRP £49.50.

Living Souls 18 Year Old Ledaig Single Malt:
Aged in refill butts and hogsheads and ideal for cosy evenings, the blend of 18 year old Ledaig and Tobermory single malts is bottled at 41% ABV and provides a peaceful, pastoral whisky with elements of fresh apple and smoke. RRP £100.

Living Souls 19 Year Old Islay Blended Malt:
A “Kildalton” Islay blended malt matured in refill bourbon and sherry casks, this 19 year old is bottled at 42% ABV and tailor-made for bonfire nights, featuring all the classic Islay hallmarks of peat-smoke and briny sea air. RRP £135.

Living Souls 40 Year Old Blended Scotch:
Laid down to marry in 1998 in a single refill sherry butt, the exceptionally well-aged blend is bottled at 41.2% ABV and boasts notes of ripe, juicy fruit and woodsy freshness, showcasing the depth of flavor and complexity that comes with time. RRP £125.

Living Souls’ Batch #1 will be available from specialist retailers throughout the UK. A complete list of stockists can be found at whiskysouls.com. The whiskies will also be available for sale in Germany, with distribution to France and Italy in the near future.

Source: Living Souls.