Kythe Distillery warehouse
A Return to Old Style Highland Distilling

Kythe Distillery will be at the forefront of a new movement to revive ‘old style’ Scottish single malt whisky. Ours is an uncommonly ambitious project in pursuit of true and absolute quality - drawing on inspiration from the past to create a new Highland single malt that will stand as one of the most distinctive and charismatic in Scotland, and beyond. Our aim is to recreate an extinct style of Scottish single malt whisky - one not produced since the 1960s.

Our ethos is to eschew outdated and tired obsessions about yield, efficiency, tourism and standardisation of character. Instead, we favour a ruthlessly ideological process founded in the best ingredients, the right equipment, exacting method and relentlessly holding ourselves to the standards demonstrated by the greatest bottled distillates from Scotland’s past. The historic and painstaking techniques we will embrace yields far less alcohol than the standardised and highly efficient modern processes employed in the industrial distilleries now prevalent throughout Scotland. This is a deliberate choice. We take this approach because we know efficiency to be the enemy of character.

Our project was initially conceived back in 2014, it would take a further decade of tireless effort by the Founders, but eventually Kythe Distillery was born in 2022. Procurement of the plant has commenced and construction is due to begin shortly. We expect to finally begin distilling in 2024.

Kythe Distillery is located at Perthshire Scotland
A Return to Old Style Highland Distilling

Kythe Distillery will be at the forefront of a new movement to revive ‘old style’ Scottish single malt whisky. Ours is an uncommonly ambitious project in pursuit of true and absolute quality - drawing on inspiration from the past to create a new Highland single malt that will stand as one of the most distinctive and charismatic in Scotland, and beyond. Our aim is to recreate an extinct style of Scottish single malt whisky - one not produced since the 1960s.

Kythe Distillery warehouse

Our ethos is to eschew outdated and tired obsessions about yield, efficiency, tourism and standardisation of character. Instead, we favour a ruthlessly ideological process founded in the best ingredients, the right equipment, exacting method and relentlessly holding ourselves to the standards demonstrated by the greatest bottled distillates from Scotland’s past. The historic and painstaking techniques we will embrace yields far less alcohol than the standardised and highly efficient modern processes employed in the industrial distilleries now prevalent throughout Scotland. This is a deliberate choice. We take this approach because we know efficiency to be the enemy of character.

Our project was initially conceived back in 2014, it would take a further decade of tireless effort by the Founders, but eventually Kythe Distillery was born in 2022. Procurement of the plant has commenced and construction is due to begin shortly. We expect to finally begin distilling in 2024.

Kythe Distillery is located at Perthshire Scotland

“Efficiency is the enemy of character.”

— Angus MacRaild

“Efficiency is the enemy of character.”

— Angus MacRaild
Schematic of Kythe Distillery wash distillation arrangement
What will make Kythe Old Style?

Kythe will be a distillery founded entirely on principles of old-style brewing and distilling – an approach not widely practiced in Scotland for many decades. Locally grown, low-yielding yet flavoursome and protein-rich heritage barley varieties will be our main ingredients. Their wort will undergo a fermentation of up to two weeks in wooden washbacks by the microbial shuffle of traditional spent brewer’s yeast, so as to produce a luscious exotic fruit flavour. This high acidity wash will then be carefully distilled by a directly wood-fired wash still, return to true direct firing in Scotland. Our focus will be to create and refine a single 'house style' distillate, one with natural variances imbued by season, ingredient and the personal techniques of our workforce. This carefully sculpted distillate will be filled into a variety of casks, but the chief focus will be on gentle refill wood that preserves and foregrounds the inherent beauty and personality of the spirit. Ours will be a distillate that has no need to hide behind the weight of overly active oak.

Kythe Distillery is also unique in that it is entirely funded by a group of whisky enthusiasts across the globe. The foundational motivation that has made this distillery a reality is the shared desire of likeminded lovers of old style Scotch whisky to see these flavours created anew.

What will make Kythe Old Style?

Kythe will be a distillery founded entirely on principles of old-style brewing and distilling – an approach not widely practiced in Scotland for many decades. Locally grown, low-yielding yet flavoursome and protein-rich heritage barley varieties will be our main ingredients. Their wort will undergo a fermentation of up to two weeks in wooden washbacks by the microbial shuffle of traditional spent brewer’s yeast, so as to produce a luscious exotic fruit flavour. This high acidity wash will then be carefully distilled by a directly wood-fired wash still, return to true direct firing in Scotland. Our focus will be to create and refine a single 'house style' distillate, one with natural variances imbued by season, ingredient and the personal techniques of our workforce. This carefully sculpted distillate will be filled into a variety of casks, but the chief focus will be on gentle refill wood that preserves and foregrounds the inherent beauty and personality of the spirit. Ours will be a distillate that has no need to hide behind the weight of overly active oak.

Kythe Distillery is also unique in that it is entirely funded by a group of whisky enthusiasts across the globe. The foundational motivation that has made this distillery a reality is the shared desire of likeminded lovers of old style Scotch whisky to see these flavours created anew.

Schematic of Kythe Distillery wash distillation arrangement
An excerpt from Chambers Scots Dictionary (1911) showing definition of Kythe: to become known
— Chambers Scots Dictionary (1911)
Old Style yet Forward Facing

Although our reason for distilling is to create the greatest single malt we are capable of producing, it is important to us that this is done in an ethical and social responsible way. Interestingly, by using a direct wood fire to create the bulk of our distillery’s heat load, we can power the rest of the process with electrity, including the spirit still which will be direct electric heated. Our process engineers calculate the CO2 emission from Kythe to be 94% less than a standard kerosene distillery when run from a renewable energy source.

This is not cost effective to install, nor financially savvy to run, there is no off-the-peg designs for wood fire stills nor electric stills of our scale. Everything is designed bespoke for Kythe with environmental ethics at the core of each energy decision.

A black and white photo of Jonny McMillan walking on the Kythe Distillery site

While the distillery will initially have a small workforce, we are dedicated to being an equal opportunities employer and committed to the practices of Fair Work First. The jobs we create will be meaningful, rewarding and lasting.

Kythe will be situated in pre-existing agricultural buildings on a working farm, hence there will be no visitor facilities, gift shop, tearoom or Instagrammable area.

The team

Kythe is the result of a lifelong romance with old style whisky, from three friends; Jonny McMillan (left), Aaron Chan (centre) and Angus MacRaild (right), supported by several close friends including Ronnie Cox (below).

An excerpt from Chambers Scots Dictionary (1911) showing definition of Kythe: to become known
— Chambers Scots Dictionary (1911)
Old Style yet Forward Facing

Although our reason for distilling is to create the greatest single malt we are capable of producing, it is important to us that this is done in an ethical and social responsible way. Interestingly, by using a direct wood fire to create the bulk of our distillery’s heat load, we can power the rest of the process with electrity, including the spirit still which will be direct electric heated. Our process engineers calculate the CO2 emission from Kythe to be 94% less than a standard kerosene distillery when run from a renewable energy source.

This is not cost effective to install, nor financially savvy to run, there is no off-the-peg designs for wood fire stills nor electric stills of our scale. Everything is designed bespoke for Kythe with environmental ethics at the core of each energy decision.

While the distillery will initially have a small workforce, we are dedicated to being an equal opportunities employer and committed to the practices of Fair Work First. The jobs we create will be meaningful, rewarding and lasting.

Kythe will be situated in pre-existing agricultural buildings on a working farm, hence there will be no visitor facilities, gift shop, tearoom or Instagrammable area.

A black and white photo of Jonny McMillan walking on the Kythe Distillery site
The team

Kythe is the result of a lifelong romance with old style whisky, from three friends;
Jonny McMillan (left), Aaron Chan (centre) and Angus MacRaild (right), supported by
several close friends including Ronnie Cox (below).

A black and white photo of Jonny McMillan (Distillery Manager), Aaron Chan (Chairman), Angus MacRaild (Whisky Maker). - Photo credit: Stewart Allan

Jonny McMillan

– Distillery Manager

Prior to founding Kythe, Jonny was the Bulk Spirits Buyer at Berry Bros & Rudd. He was responsible for the acquisition and management of Berry Bros stock holdings of bonded whisky casks, leading wood management and cask selection. Jonny was also behind BB&R’s work with new wave distilleries across the globe with a focus on the Nordics, championing new producers that strive for quality. Within this role he worked closely with Francis Cuthbert as Daftmill’s Brand Manager within BB&R, helping to shape the brand and select liquid for bottling. Since 2016 Jonny and Angus have also co-organised in partnership with the Whisky Exchange, the Whisky Show Old & Rare. The world’s leading rare whisky festival, held for the past four years in Glasgow & London, has attracted broad critical acclaim and drawn thousands of enthusiasts from all around the world.

Angus MacRaild

– Whisky Maker

Angus has spent the majority of his working life involved with whisky. Spending his summers at university working at Ardbeg and Bruichladdich distilleries on Islay gaining an in-depth knowledge of whisky and its culture. Since 2016 Angus has worked independently as a writer, consultant and events specialist. Collaborating with Jonny on the Whisky Show Old & Rare, the world’s most successful and respected rare whisky event. Contributing regularly to Whiskyfun.com, the world’s most influential whisky review site. And since 2018 Angus has also successfully grown his own company, Decadent Drinks, into a hugely successful independent bottling company for which he is a director and head of product creation with oversight of cask selection and label design. Due to his experience and dedication to his trade Angus is now regarded as one of the leading experts in old-style whisky and antique bottlings.

Aaron Chan

– Chairman

Aaron is the founder of Club Qing, a Hong Kong-based independent bottler which also operates a whisky bar. Aaron developed his passion in whisky around 2008 and rebranded his company Club Qing as an independent bottler in 2015, and has since grown the brand into a well-known independent bottler in Asia. Aaron also co-founded WhiskyNow!, a leading old & rare whisky festival in Hong Kong and is widely considered as an advocate of old-style whisky in Asia. Aaron graduated from Stanford University and is a member of MENSA.

A black and white photo of Ronnie Cox (Brand Director Emeritus)

Ronnie Cox

– Brand Director Emeritus

Ronnie was brought up just 5 miles away from Kythe. After 2 years abroad in the wine trade he has spent 40 years in the Scotch Whisky industry and comes from generations of distillers. The last 25 years he has dedicated to the international marketing of top-end Single and Blended malt whiskies. A passionate advocate of Single Malts, their promotion and their representation overseas he has travelled most of his life building up a useful network of contacts throughout the world.

Until recently Ronnie was the Brands Heritage Director at Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits; was a Member of the Committee of the Keepers of the Quaich and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers and a past Ambassador of the Year for both Scotland and for the World.

Ronnie will serve as Brand Director Emeritus at Kythe.

Jonny McMillan

– Distillery Manager

Prior to founding Kythe, Jonny was the Bulk Spirits Buyer at Berry Bros & Rudd. He was responsible for the acquisition and management of Berry Bros stock holdings of bonded whisky casks, leading wood management and cask selection. Jonny was also behind BB&R’s work with new wave distilleries across the globe with a focus on the Nordics, championing new producers that strive for quality. Within this role he worked closely with Francis Cuthbert as Daftmill’s Brand Manager within BB&R, helping to shape the brand and select liquid for bottling. Since 2016 Jonny and Angus have also co-organised in partnership with the Whisky Exchange, the Whisky Show Old & Rare. The world’s leading rare whisky festival, held for the past four years in Glasgow & London, has attracted broad critical acclaim and drawn thousands of enthusiasts from all around the world.

Angus MacRaild

– Whisky Maker

Angus has spent the majority of his working life involved with whisky. Spending his summers at university working at Ardbeg and Bruichladdich distilleries on Islay gaining an in-depth knowledge of whisky and its culture. Since 2016 Angus has worked independently as a writer, consultant and events specialist. Collaborating with Jonny on the Whisky Show Old & Rare, the world’s most successful and respected rare whisky event. Contributing regularly to Whiskyfun.com, the world’s most influential whisky review site. And since 2018 Angus has also successfully grown his own company, Decadent Drinks, into a hugely successful independent bottling company for which he is a director and head of product creation with oversight of cask selection and label design. Due to his experience and dedication to his trade Angus is now regarded as one of the leading experts in old-style whisky and antique bottlings.

Aaron Chan

– Chairman

Aaron is the founder of Club Qing, a Hong Kong-based independent bottler which also operates a whisky bar. Aaron developed his passion in whisky around 2008 and rebranded his company Club Qing as an independent bottler in 2015, and has since grown the brand into a well-known independent bottler in Asia. Aaron also co-founded WhiskyNow!, a leading old & rare whisky festival in Hong Kong and is widely considered as an advocate of old-style whisky in Asia. Aaron graduated from Stanford University and is a member of MENSA.

A black and white photo of Ronnie Cox (Brand Director Emeritus)

Ronnie Cox

– Brand Director Emeritus

Ronnie was brought up just 5 miles away from Kythe. After 2 years abroad in the wine trade he has spent 40 years in the Scotch Whisky industry and comes from generations of distillers. The last 25 years he has dedicated to the international marketing of top-end Single and Blended malt whiskies. A passionate advocate of Single Malts, their promotion and their representation overseas he has travelled most of his life building up a useful network of contacts throughout the world.

Until recently Ronnie was the Brands Heritage Director at Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits; was a Member of the Committee of the Keepers of the Quaich and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers and a past Ambassador of the Year for both Scotland and for the World.

Ronnie will serve as Brand Director Emeritus at Kythe.

Join Our Communication

There may be opportunities to purchase a cask directly from us in the future. We will not be selling via investment channels, all cask sales will be direct to consumers only. If you would like to hear about this or hear from us in general, please sign up below.
(All information you entered will be sent to us encrypted and stored encrypted. We take your privacy very seriously. Be sure to white-list our email @kythedistillery.com so our mails will not fall into your spam folder.)