Cameron Bridge
Encyclopedia
Cameron Bridge is a village in the conurbation of Levenmouth
in Fife
, Scotland. It is near to the village of Windygates
and only 2 miles west of the town of Leven
. A distillery was established in the 19th century by the Haig
family, which is now part of Diageo
. The distillery produces Scotch whisky
.
, which replaced a ford here. When Leven was flooded it was the first upstream crossing. In 1870, an earlier bridge was replaced with a new one . Another river is located nearby, the River Ore.
distillery was opened. In 1826 it became the first distillery to produce Grain whisky
using the Column still
method invented by Robert Stein. In 1877 John Haig & Co merged with 5 other whisky companies to form the Distillers Company, with John Haig & Co coming under DCL's full ownership in 1919. Cameron Bridge produced both grain and malt whisky using a combination of pot still
s and column still
s until 1929, when it shifted exclusively to grain whisky production.
For a period between 1941 to 1947, the distillery closed due to World War II
. The current Column still house was constructed during the 1960s, and two of its three stills are more than 30 years old. The third was transferred from Carsebridge distillery in Alloa
when it was closed by United Distillers
in 1983. Major renovations at Cameron Bridge occurred in 1989-1992 as well as up to 2000 when the distillery produced up to 30 million impgals (136,382,700 l) of spirit annually.
In 1989 Cameronbridge also changed from being solely a large-scale grain whisky distillery into a ‘dual-purpose’ site, when United Distillers
’ Grain Neutral Spirit operation was transferred to Fife from Wandsworth in London. Now GNS for white spirits and ‘sweetened products’ such as Archers
, Pimm's
, Smirnoff
, Tanqueray
and Gordon's Gin
are also produced alongside grain spirit used in the Johnnie Walker
, J&B
, Bell's, Black & White
, Vat 69, Haig
and White Horse
blended whisky brands owned by Diageo.
It is currently the largest of the remaining grain distilleries in Scotland and is owned by Diageo
.
site. Rail freight provisions could also be provided to serve the distillery. This is as part of the Levenmouth rail link.
Levenmouth
Levenmouth is a small conurbation on the north side of the Firth of Forth, on the east coast of Scotland. It consists of three coastal towns, eleven villages inland and smallerHamlets. The industrial towns of Buckhaven and Methil lie on the west bank of the River Leven, and the resort town of Leven...
in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland. It is near to the village of Windygates
Windygates
Windygates is a small district in central Fife, Scotland.It encompasses the villages hamlets and estates of Wellsgreen Farm, Little Lun Farm, Woodbank Farm, The Maw , Cameron, Isabella, Smithyhill, Cameronbridge, Bridgend, Durie Estate, Duniface Farm, Haughmill , Drumcaldie, The Meetings ,...
and only 2 miles west of the town of Leven
Leven, Fife
Leven is a seaside town in Fife, set in the east Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on the coast of the Firth of Forth at the mouth of the River Leven, north-east of Kirkcaldy and east of Glenrothes....
. A distillery was established in the 19th century by the Haig
Haig (whisky)
-History:The dimpled bottle was then introduced in the 1890s. This bottle became so well-known and important to the brand that it was registered as a trademark in the USA in 1958 by Julius Lunsford....
family, which is now part of Diageo
Diageo
Diageo plc is a global alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine....
. The distillery produces Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
.
History and locality
It is a settlement at a bridge over the River LevenRiver Leven, Fife
The River Leven is a river in Fife in Scotland. It flows from Loch Leven into the Firth of Forth at the town of Leven. The river is home to brown trout and hosts a run of sea trout and atlantic salmon...
, which replaced a ford here. When Leven was flooded it was the first upstream crossing. In 1870, an earlier bridge was replaced with a new one . Another river is located nearby, the River Ore.
The Cameronbridge Grain Distillery
In 1824 the HaigHaig (whisky)
-History:The dimpled bottle was then introduced in the 1890s. This bottle became so well-known and important to the brand that it was registered as a trademark in the USA in 1958 by Julius Lunsford....
distillery was opened. In 1826 it became the first distillery to produce Grain whisky
Grain whisky
Grain whisky ordinarily refers to any whisky made from at least some grains other than malted barley, such as whisky made using maize , wheat or rye....
using the Column still
Column still
A column still, also called a continuous still, patent still or Coffey still, is a variety of still consisting of two columns invented in 1826 by Robert Stein, a Clackmannanshire distiller, and it was first used at the Cameron Bridge Grain Distillery in Fife, Scotland. The design was enhanced and...
method invented by Robert Stein. In 1877 John Haig & Co merged with 5 other whisky companies to form the Distillers Company, with John Haig & Co coming under DCL's full ownership in 1919. Cameron Bridge produced both grain and malt whisky using a combination of pot still
Pot still
A pot still is a type of still used in distilling spirits such as whisky or brandy. Heat is applied directly to the pot containing the wash or wine . This is called a batch distillation ....
s and column still
Column still
A column still, also called a continuous still, patent still or Coffey still, is a variety of still consisting of two columns invented in 1826 by Robert Stein, a Clackmannanshire distiller, and it was first used at the Cameron Bridge Grain Distillery in Fife, Scotland. The design was enhanced and...
s until 1929, when it shifted exclusively to grain whisky production.
For a period between 1941 to 1947, the distillery closed due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The current Column still house was constructed during the 1960s, and two of its three stills are more than 30 years old. The third was transferred from Carsebridge distillery in Alloa
Alloa
Alloa is a town and former burgh in Clackmannanshire, set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on on the north bank of the Firth of Forth close to the foot of the Ochil Hills, east of Stirling and north of Falkirk....
when it was closed by United Distillers
United Distillers
United Distillers was a Scottish company formed in 1987 from combining the businesses of Distillers Company and Arthur Bell & Sons, both owned by Guinness. The company owned six Scotch whisky brands, which were relaunched as the Classic Malts range...
in 1983. Major renovations at Cameron Bridge occurred in 1989-1992 as well as up to 2000 when the distillery produced up to 30 million impgals (136,382,700 l) of spirit annually.
In 1989 Cameronbridge also changed from being solely a large-scale grain whisky distillery into a ‘dual-purpose’ site, when United Distillers
United Distillers
United Distillers was a Scottish company formed in 1987 from combining the businesses of Distillers Company and Arthur Bell & Sons, both owned by Guinness. The company owned six Scotch whisky brands, which were relaunched as the Classic Malts range...
’ Grain Neutral Spirit operation was transferred to Fife from Wandsworth in London. Now GNS for white spirits and ‘sweetened products’ such as Archers
Schnapps
Schnapps is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage. The English word schnapps is derived from the German Schnaps , which can refer to any strong alcoholic drink but particularly those containing at least 32% ABV...
, Pimm's
Pimm's
Pimm's is a brand of fruit cups, but may also be considered a liqueur. It was first produced in 1823 by James Pimm and owned by Diageo since 2006. Its most popular product is Pimm's No. 1 Cup.-History:...
, Smirnoff
Smirnoff
Smirnoff is a brand of vodka owned and produced by the British company Diageo. The Smirnoff brand began with a vodka distillery founded in Moscow by Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov , the son of illiterate Russian peasants. It is now distributed in 130 countries.Smirnoff products include vodka, flavored...
, Tanqueray
Tanqueray
Tanqueray is a brand of British gin produced in Scotland by Diageo Plc and marketed world-wide.-History:Tanqueray Gin was initially distilled in 1830 by Charles Tanqueray in the Bloomsbury district of London. When Charles died in 1868, his son Charles Waugh Tanqueray inherited the distillery, which...
and Gordon's Gin
Gordon's Gin
Gordon's is a brand of London Dry gin produced in the United Kingdom and under licence in New Zealand, Canada and several other former British territories. The top markets for Gordon's are the UK, US, Greece and Africa...
are also produced alongside grain spirit used in the Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker is a brand of Scotch Whisky owned by Diageo and originated in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland.It is the most widely distributed brand of blended Scotch whisky in the world, sold in almost every country with yearly sales of over 130 million bottles.-History:Originally known as Walker's...
, J&B
Justerini & Brooks Whisky
Justerini & Brooks is a blended Scotch whisky. The company is owned by multinational Diageo plc.J&B Rare Blend, the standard J&B whisky brand, is a blend of 42 Scottish malt and grain whiskies....
, Bell's, Black & White
Black & White (whisky)
Black & White is a blended Scotch whisky. It was first produced by the London-based whisky blender founded by James Buchanan. Originally known as House of Commons , its nickname, referring to the black and white labelling, was eventually adopted as the official brand instead.The brand's motif Black...
, Vat 69, Haig
Haig (whisky)
-History:The dimpled bottle was then introduced in the 1890s. This bottle became so well-known and important to the brand that it was registered as a trademark in the USA in 1958 by Julius Lunsford....
and White Horse
White Horse (whisky)
White Horse Scotch Whisky is a blended Scotch Whisky from Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. It was first produced by James Logan Mackie in 1861. In 2006, White Horse won blended whisky of the year in Murray's 2007 Whisky Bible.-Composition:...
blended whisky brands owned by Diageo.
It is currently the largest of the remaining grain distilleries in Scotland and is owned by Diageo
Diageo
Diageo plc is a global alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine....
.
Future transport
A railway station could be located in Cameron Bridge in the future, which would also serve as at Park and RidePark and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
site. Rail freight provisions could also be provided to serve the distillery. This is as part of the Levenmouth rail link.