A family-run distillery near Glasgow has launched a new single malt whisky, reviving a South Lanarkshire whisky tradition after almost 200 years. On Friday, September 4, Jackton Distillery in the village of Jackton officially released the RAER Single Malt Scotch Whisky, The Inaugural Release.
The Lowland producer, based on the Kean family farm near Scotland's largest city, described the release as "incredibly special for our family and team". The first bottles began shipping on the day of the launch, bringing locally distilled single malt whisky back to South Lanarkshire after nearly two centuries.
A 186-year gap in local whisky making
Records show Jackton Distillery is the first to distil, mature, and bottle its own single malt whisky in the area in more than 180 years. The last malt distillery within the modern boundaries of South Lanarkshire was Gill near Lesmahagow, which closed in 1840. After a 186-year hiatus, Jackton Distillery filled its first cask in February 2020.
Historic distilleries such as Gill, Castle Hill at Carluke, Avonglen at Larkhall, and Wilsontown near Carnwath form part of the area's largely forgotten whisky heritage. With The Inaugural Release, Jackton Distillery is bringing that tradition back to Lanarkshire whisky enthusiasts.
Family pride in the launch
Managing Director Jaynie Kean commented: "South Lanarkshire has a whisky story that many people won’t know, so this launch feels bigger than us. The history came long before Jackton, but to bring locally distilled Single Malt back to this area after 180 years is incredibly special for our family and team."
Kean added: "We laid down our first casks in February 2020, just before the world changed. Since then, we’ve watched, waited, tasted and worked towards the point where we could finally share a Single Malt with the RAER name on the bottle."
Limited release with a unique bottle feature
The RAER Inaugural Release has been distilled, matured, and bottled at Jackton Distillery, drawn from Bourbon, Pedro Ximénez, Amontillado and Oloroso sherry casks. It is bottled at 48.7 per cent ABV, non-chill filtered, and limited to 6,000 individually hand-numbered bottles priced at £68.
The bottle introduces the 'RAER View', a front-label window that invites whisky fans to look through the glass and "see the world differently through RAER Single Malt". As the whisky is enjoyed, the view becomes clearer. Every future release of the RAER Single Malt will carry its own RAER View, making each bottle visually distinct and collectable.
Kean said: "Our first Single Malt is collectable, of course, but we hope people open it too. The RAER View is our way of building that idea into the bottle itself. You can keep it, collect it and remember it, but the whisky has been made to be enjoyed. That feels very true to what RAER is all about."
From Friday, September 4, visitors to Jackton Distillery can taste RAER Single Malt as part of its tour experience. The release will also travel across Scotland in a Single Malt roadshow from September 5 to 12, followed by a special Edinburgh event on September 13.
