Glen Mhor Distillery Logbook 13th September 1924

Indeed, ladies and gentlemen, and enthusiasts of all things Glen Mhor, we are back, and quite unexpectedly at that.

You may have noticed that our attention has shifted across Telford Street towards the Glen Albyn distillery, where research is currently in full swing. I had hoped that by documenting this older distillery, which came under the ownership of Mackinlay & Birnie in 1920, we could glean some insights into Glen Mhor itself.

This has certainly proven to be the case, as we have uncovered missing plans and references to Glen Mhor in subsequent years, particularly as work was conducted on both sites simultaneously, including weighing room equipment. Recently, I have been reviewing the first of two logbooks from Glen Albyn that date back to the 1920s. This journal predates the earliest entry for Glen Mhor by almost 12 years, and astonishingly, I have just come across an entry that pertains solely to Glen Mhor.

This could be a significant find, as the 1920s at Glen Mhor remain somewhat of a mystery. Many publications indicate that it was a decade of considerable upheaval and improvements at the site, while my research suggests that many enhancements occurred earlier and in a staggered manner. I hope that any pages from the 1920s might shed new light on this.

This discovery raises several questions, including whether there will be more to find. I cannot answer that just yet, as I prefer the more methodical approach of examining one page at a time. To maintain some organisation, I have posted this entry on the Glen Mhor site where it rightfully belongs, while also updating the logbook pages for both distilleries.

The entry is authored by none other than Neil M. Gunn himself, and I have transcribed it in full below, before moving on to reflect on what it reveals to us.

'Customs & Excise

Glen Mhor

Inverness

13/9/24

Sir

I beg to report the receipt of a notice from the Distillers of Glen Mhor Distillery (Mackinlay & Birnie Ltd) requesting 'to remove charging cock of No.2. Low Wines Still for repairs 15 and 10?, in accordance with paragraph 67 of the Distillery Instructions.

As the extent of the work? plate? repair amounts to the grinding in of the plug of the charging cock is under that a slight leakage may be stopped, these will in effect be no change in the continuous connection of position of the charging cock, though the removal of it necessitates the unrivetting of the bolts which fix it to the pipe. Thus state it that no new entry will required under paragraph 68.

It is expected that the repairs will be completed by the end of this week, 18th.

I am, sir, your obedient servant, N.M. Gunn.'

The still room at Glen Mhor or elsewhere, embodies the essence of any distillery. Our research conducted here has shed new light and provided deeper insights into this fundamental structure. We owe a great deal to the knowledge of Alan Winchester, who has documented the findings behind each entry in the still room. I highly suggest reading his article, and it comes as no surprise that he was excited by this recent discovery:

'The repair does mention its Low wines and feints still Number 2 the correct terminology, now often referred to as a Spirit still.

The valve is getting an extensive repair in that the valve is being removed from the still, but as all the distillery plant is approved, its within normal repairs, the small leak of low wines and feints, is to stop alcohol dropping onto the floor and or into the still, makes you think the additional still may date from the larger mash tun.'

Leaks consistently emerged as a significant concern in the still room at Glen Mhor, which appeared to be the most perilous area within the distillery. Unlike other distilleries of its time, it featured a dedicated still room, with only a hot water tank and some storage tanks in close proximity that we are aware of.

These leaks persisted as a problem, as recorded in the logbook, along with various ongoing repairs - particularly during World War II - when parts were scarce and possibly due to distillation become unbalanced following the introduction of a larger still. The team was adept at utilising whatever resources they had on hand to address issues, or at least to devise temporary fixes. Such skills are seldom seen in today's world, and I still need to find a copy of the Distillery Instructions book, which is often referenced by Customs & Excise. 

Regrettably, the following page shifts away from the Glen Mhor narrative and redirects us back across the road to Glen Albyn and their own stills. Nevertheless, we hope to hear from Neil M. Gunn again in the upcoming pages. The entry does confirm that the newer still is in place and forming some part of production, this is earlier than most books which had the mysterious third still as being installed sometime in 1925, whereas we know this was earlier. The smaller original still, was used on and off until sometime in the 1930s, and we know from this logbook entry, a new manager looked to establish whether it could be used again in 1938, when it was fired up in some form before being disconnected for good. 

This is likely to be my final article before a much-anticipated festive break. My research on Glen Albyn continues, and if any new insights about Glen Mhor surface, we will certainly discuss them here.

The Glen Albyn logs are held at the Highland Archives Centre in Inverness (HCA/D31/4/1/23 and HCA/D31/4/1/24) and I'm thankful to the Archive and HMRC for access to these incredible resources and bringing them to life