North Port

Established in 1820 by brothers David, John, and Alexander Guthrie, the distillery was originally known as Brechin or Townhead. Located near the Grampian Mountains, it drew water and peat from the surrounding landscape while sourcing barley from nearby farms. Its eventual name, North Port, referenced its proximity to a historic gate in the Brechin town wall. The facility operated traditional pot stills paired with worm tubs, utilizing water from the Den Burn for cooling. Despite changing hands to DCL and W.H. Holt in 1922, and later joining SMD, it faced several production interruptions before finally closing in 1983.

Following the 1983 closure, the site's fate was sealed in 1994 when the distillery buildings were demolished to make way for a supermarket. Throughout its operational lifetime, North Port never saw an official single malt bottling, as the liquid was primarily destined for blending. It was only posthumously that the distillery's character was showcased through specialized series. The demolition marked the end of physical production in Brechin, leaving only remaining stock in warehouses to represent this Highland style. The few existing bottles are now highly regarded by collectors as relics of a vanished era of East Highland distillation.