As a classic old-style distillery, Strathisla’s architecture means that the visitor moves through a maze of rooms and passageways before ending up in the rafters of the low-roofed stillhouse – at the same level as the lyne arm of the stills themselves.
It is Strathisla’s small stills which help to give the distillery its character. Although on paper the spirit should be light and fragrant, distillation helps to add heft and weight to the new make. Though widely used in blends – Chivas Regal in particular – it is seen as a tricky customer by blenders as it needs time to hit maturity when its full range of complexities is revealed.