Old Comber

Old Comber operated as a two-site enterprise in County Down, with roots predating the official 1825 brand foundation. The Upper site on Killinchy Street utilized a 14-foot breast waterwheel and steam power, while the Lower site, a former paper mill, was established around 1825. By 1861, these locations functioned as a single enterprise, each producing about 150,000 gallons of pot still whiskey by 1887. Despite modernization efforts following a 1919 fire at the Upper site, production at the Lower site ceased in the 1930s, leading to the eventual silence of the original operation in 1953.

The modern revival of the Old Comber name is an initiative by Echlinville, located ten miles from the original historic sites. It is essential to note that current releases do not utilize old stock or the original facilities, but are rather a tribute produced under a separate modern framework. The original production focused strictly on pot still whiskey rather than single malt. Because no tasting evidence of the historic liquid was found in consulted sources, a reliable reconstruction of the traditional house style is currently impossible without resorting to speculation.