Indulge in the exquisite flavours of Lindores Abbey - The Friar John Cor 'The Cask Strength Congregation Batch' - Chapter 2. This bold and complex whiskey boasts a mellow maple syrup base, complemented by roasted banana and fruity dates. A touch of spicy cinnamon and caramelised demerara sugar adds depth, while the finish is long-lasting and full of character. Sip and savour every velvety smooth drop.

‘The Friar John Cor – The Cask Strength Congregation Batch - Chapter 2’ has been matured in a blend of Bourbon Casks, STR Wine Barriques, and Rum-Peated Casks and bottled at the batch cask strength of 60.9% ABV. As with all Lindores bottlings it has no added colouring, is non-chill filtered and bottled onsite at Lindores Abbey Distillery.

The introduction of the peated ex-Islay casks which originally held rum, gives a very exciting point of difference to our unpeated spirit. The end result is just fantastic with a complex Whisky with syrupy fruity sweetness balanced perfectly with subtle waves of earthy peated notes that compliment perfectly in this unique Lindores Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

The design of the eye catching black bottle, mirroring the Exclusive 1494 First Release Bottle, draws on several elements of Lindores Abbey’s history, most obviously the dramatic black colour which is inspired by the black cloth tunics worn by the Lindores monks back in 1494. This unique bottle shape is also in homage to the magnificent stone pillars which would have been found throughout the Abbey, the remains of which can still be found in the ruins today.

This bottling was first Available on 12th July 2023

About the Producer

After a break of 523 years, spirit is once again flowing from the copper stills at Lindores Abbey Distillery.

With Lindores Abbey’s widely recognised links to the earliest written reference to Scotch Whisky and learning as much as possible from the great Scottish distillers, past and present, the assembled team are bringing a very modern whisky-making approach to this ancient site.

Distilling was taking place at Lindores on the banks of the Tay between Perth and Dundee, at least as early as 1494, although it was most probably happening long before that.

This is known this because of the earliest written reference to Scotch Whisky (or Aqua Vitae, as it was then known), which appears in the Exchequer Roll of the same year. It records a Brother John Cor, a Lindores monk, who was commissioned by King James IV to turn 8 bolls of malt into Aqua Vitae. 8 Bolls of malt amounts to around 500kg in modern terms and would have been enough to make about 400 bottles of today’s whisky.

In 2017, spirit started flowing once again from copper stills at Lindores Abbey Distillery, and the first single malt whisky was released in 2021.

The whisky is Fife grown, malted, distilled, matured and bottled.

They use the Laureate strain of barley grown on local farms whose fields surround the distillery and would have originally been abbey lands. On site there are three copper pot stills, one large wash still and two smaller spirit stills, which allows greater copper contact in the final distillation, creating a clean and delicate flavour in the spirit. Fermentation takes place in traditional wooden washbacks, supplied by Joseph Brown of Dufftown.

The water for Lindores Abbey Distillery whisky comes from a borehole near the distillery, in order that they can draw from the same supply used in 1494. The Abbey was fed by several wells such as the Abbots well, the Monks well, the Bluidy well and the Witches well.

In this age of sustainability and with the aim to reduce carbon footprint, the supply chain is becoming ever more local allowing for the support of local businesses.

"We are extremely fortunate at Lindores to have had the late, great Dr Jim Swan, guide us through the early stages of our distillery’s journey. His astounding knowledge and skills in maturation were among his many qualities that gained him a huge amount admiration and respect in the world of distilling and the whole industry gained so much from all his work through the years. He helped Lindores forge some fantastic relationships with incredible cask suppliers from all over the world, allowing us to fill into some of the finest quality maturation vessels that the industry has to offer."