Misako Udo suggests Glencadam means "valley of the wild goose" in gaelic - same as Glengoyne, which is corroborated by that distillery.
Glencadam Distillery's website says 'The name “Glencadam” comes from the area known as “The Tenements of Caldhame”. These were plots of ground given to the burghs of Brechin for food production. They were situated to the north and south east of the Den Burn where the distillery stands.' This 1832 map gives the name "Glencauldhame". The distillery's website is quite comprehensive for a distillery without a visitor centre, with details on the distillery's history and whiskies. The map of UK retailers is interesting if only for its relocation of Royal Mile Whiskies towards Leith.
VisitingGlencadam does not have a visitor centre, but can be visited by appointment - see website for more.
Vital Stats
Founded in 1825, shortly after the Excise Act of 1823, Glencadam went through a number of owners until bought by Glasgow blender Gilmour Thompson. When they ceased trading in 1954 the distillery was acquired by Hiram Walker - who later became Allied Domecq, who mothballed it in 2000.
Misako Udo mentions an old spelling of Glencardam, and as mentioned above the 1832 map has Glencauldhame. In 2003, Angus Dundee, who already owned Tomintoul, bought and re-opened Glencadam. The 99th distillery in Alfred Barnard's famous book (p 270) doesn't merit a lengthy entry, but he does say the water is from Moorfoot Loch, which I have been unable to locate. The Distillery website states its water source is 8.7 miles away at The Moorans spring, and passes through the Unthank Hills - again mysterious locations (there is an Unthank immediately to the North of the distillery, but this hardly seems to merit the name Unthank Hills). The cooling water's source is clearer - Barry Burn which flows into the distillery's pond (below) - "perhaps the longest water supply for distilling purposes of any Scottish distillery The distillery, which is next door to Brechin City football ground, is the only operational distillery in Angus, North Port, only a few hundred yards away, closed in 1983 and was demolished in 1994. Malt Madness, Wikipedia, WhiskyMerchants.co.uk scotchwhisky.com |
Getting ThereClick the Google logo on the above map to access Street View, Directions etc.
Open Cycle Map Bing Map Fettercairn North Port Lochside Hillside Distilleries Highland Distilleries Eastern Highlands Nearest National Rail station is Montrose (MTS) (8 miles). Level access to Platform 1, and lifts to footbridge for platform 2. Live train times. The preserved Caledonian railway runs from Bridge of Dun to Brechin. The direct route from Montrose to Brechin is the A935. Avoiding A roads not easy here though Google Maps suggests a route via Hillside and through Langley Park (not marked as a cycle route). Once in Brechin - from Park Road past the old Railway Station, the Distillery is signposted up Park Place. If you've come to Brechin via the Google Maps route mentioned above, you will pass the other end of Park Road. Alternatively, head for the B966 (Trinity Road) to Edzell (it goes on to Fettercairn if you want to get to another distillery later), ignore Distillery Road (that refers to the long gone North Port - the Co-op is on its site). Smithbank Road is easily missed, it's a small road just past Glebe Park (Brechin City FC).
Cycling |
Photos on this page were taken by me. Click on photo to enlarge. Full size versions of all my photos of Glencadam Distillery are available on Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martynjenkins/sets/72157627134194720/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martynjenkins/sets/72157627134194720/