North Port (Brechin) 23 Years Old 1976

Otherwise known as Brechin, North Port was founded in 1820, although illegal distilling was rampant in this area prior. An abundant water source provided the ideal location, amongst farms who would provide the necessary barley. A family-owned distillery for much of its life, it changed its name to reference a local landmark and by the 1920s was a sizeable producer, which caught the attention of DCL in 1922. Unfortunately, spells of closure soon followed due to world events and economic conditions. North Port was revived after the Second World War and continued to produce for blends until its closure as part of the 1980s cutbacks. It did receive an official bottling as part of the Rare Malts range, but other than that, it is the independent bottlers who provided some insight into this remarkable distillery, before it was demolished in 1994 to make way for a supermarket.