I helped choose this 'resilient' Scottish farm distillery’s first whisky - and you can too
Jackton Distillery in East Kilbride is asking whisky fans to get involved with their first single malt release.
Whisky-maker Jackton Distillery has announced an exclusive VIP preview of its long awaited inaugural single malt.
In a major milestone, the independent Lowland distiller will welcome whisky lovers from near and far to be the first to taste the mature spirit. The Burns Night preview, held between 23 and 25 January, will be followed by a general release in late 2026.
Jackton Distillery, already known for its RAER Scotch whisky, is female-led and rooted on the family farm.
2020 wasn’t an ideal time to launch a business, but that’s what the family behind Jackton distillery and their RAER blended scotch did.
The launch of their first single malt is “the realisation of a dream”, said managing director Jaynie Kean. “When we laid down that first cask in 2020, we promised ourselves we’d pour our heart and soul into every drop.
“Now to draw from our casks and share our Single Malt for the first time, with the people who’ve believed in us from the early days, is incredibly moving.”
The family say that the distillery gave them space to shape the whisky-making process and welcome people from around the world, to experience their own RAER moments.
Guests at the Burns Night preview will meet the family, help select the standout casks which will make up the first release, and raise a glass of the first single malt in the very place it matured.
I visited in mid-January ahead of the Burns night tasting event to see the distillery and try what will become the first ever Jackton single malt whisky.
The former farm has been transformed over the years, from keeping livestock to hosting a football pitch and a games hall for the local community, which is where the distilling now takes place. Former stables for cows is where the drum maltings are housed and the former horse stables is one of three dunnage warehouses on site.
The distillery has five stills, including a Hagyo Spirit still for making very high ABV liquid, and a brewing kit with whirlpool, meaning it can make everything from gin and vodka to whisky, rum, and beer. “When we set up the distillery, we knew that whisky was a bit cyclical. It goes really popular for a few years then it falls down again. Every now and again there’s a cull in the industry and a load of distilleries close down. We did not want that to happen to us. No one can predict the future. No one knows what’s going to happen but at every stage of the process, we’ve built in resilience and options for the future,” said Jethro Rolland, our tour guide.
As with most distilleries, Jackton has its fair share of stories, but all of these are tied to the family, and surrounding community, who are now running the distillery.
After an in-depth tour from former Scotch Whisky Experience alumni, Mr Rolland, we sat down to try three whiskies drawn from three different sherry casks which will make up the first single malt. We were encouraged to write and share our own tasting notes and pairings with chocolate were provided. Feedback was also strongly encouraged, as the family wanted as much involvement as possible with this new launch.
This experience is what whisky lovers can expect from the Burns whisky tasting event, of which there are only about 100 tickets left. It will celebrate six years of patience, craft and family ambition since Jackton filled its first cask in February 2020, and marks the first public information of what’s to come from this resilient distillery.
“From the barley harvest to the drams we pour, nothing is wasted and everything comes full circle,” said Jacob Kean, director and head of farm operations. “The draff feeds our own cattle, our water is reused, and even the heat from distillation warms our facilities – it’s all connected. Embracing the circular economy isn’t just eco-friendly, it makes our whisky more authentic.”
The general release of RAER Single Malt is expected in the third quarter of 2026, when whisky aficionados around the world will finally get their chance to secure a bottle. Each bottle from Batch No.1 will be hand numbered by the Jackton Distillery team.
The distillery team have confirmed they are on track for an autumn launch, with exact dates to be revealed closer to the time. “We’re taking our time, because that’s what our whisky deserves,” Jaynie explained.
“Every extra month in the cask deepens its character. We want each sip to tell the story of who we are – a small distillery with a big heart, a family that refused to rush a good thing.”
It’s clear that warmth, inclusivity and pride are at the core of the RAER whisky identity. In just the past few years, Jackton Distillery has earned multiple accolades for its acclaimed RAER blended whisky and the Green Tourism award for sustainable practices.
The upcoming Single Malt is the next chapter in this story. "It was all very uncertain when we started the distillery. It’s a massive risk to operate independently,” said Claragh Kean, company director. “But there was one thing that has always remained true and has helped push us forward every single day since we started out; we wanted our own single malt. We wanted to show the world what we could do and create something truly RAER. We have been patient – and now our time is just within reach.”
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