THE North British Distillery, one of Scotland’s largest grain whisky producers, has unveiled its first ever commercial release.

The distillery, based on the western edges of Edinburgh, has teamed up with specialist blender and bottler Douglas Laing & Co to release a 58 year old single cask grain whisky.

Just 222 bottles of the whisky will be made

available for sale, with strong interest already understood to have been registered from whisky collectors around the world.

The spirit was bottled at its natural cask strength of 51.6% alcohol by volume without colouring or chill-filtration. It has been named Incorporation Edition, reflecting its release 133 years to the day The North British Distillery was incorporated in 1885.

Alan Kilpatrick, who heads The North British Distillery, said: “As the 11th managing director, it is my great honour and privilege to release this single cask, our first ever commercial bottling.

“It was distilled in 1960 on the same Edinburgh

site as the company commenced production in 1885 and still does to this day.”

North British is owned jointly by drinks giants Edrington and Diageo, which primarily use the grain whisky made the Edinburgh distillery in their of blended Scotch brands, including The Famous Grouse and Johnnie Walker.

Fred Laing, chairman of Glasgow-based Douglas Laing & Co, said: “We are excited to be working with North British on such a special release.

“As a family, we have long been single grain enthusiasts and as a business, we have equally been long term proponents of the single grain category –

the fit is ideal. Handling

the sales and marketing

for such an exceptional spirit is both an honour and a great personal pleasure, such is its quality.”

The North British Distillery said its Incorporation Edition

will be available from specialist retailers from November with a recommended retail price of £1,700.