On February 10th, 1306, what is arguably the most important political murder in Scottish history took place. John Comyn, (The Red), was stabbed to death in the church of Greyfriars Monastery by the future King of Scotland, Robert the Bruce. The meeting had been requested by Bruce with the hope of joining forces with the Comyns to defeat Edward, unfortunately, this alliance was not to be. The full detail of what happened next has been lost to folklore but allegedly Robert the Bruce came out of the chapel and confessed to his men Roger de Kirkpatrick and Sir Robert Fleming what had happened. Kirkpatrick then declared “I mak siccar” and ran into the church to make sure that the Red Comyn was indeed, dead. To this day, the Kirkpatrick clan crest shows a hand holding a bloody dagger with the motto inscribed on a buckled belt below saying “I make sure”.
The Comyn name is part of the heritage of the Dalswinton Estate where the Comyn’s Castle once stood. The castle was abandoned after the construction of the Dalswinton House in the 17th century and the remains of the Comyn’s castle appear to have been demolished after 1792.
This bottling is a nod to this story, which still remains largely untold, with the true details being lost to folklore. The link between John “The Red” Comyn and the Dalswinton Estate is one that has captured our imaginations, the tale is one of sabotage, murder, and an infamous power struggle. Whisky is the perfect way to combine and share these tales, after all, what’s more satisfying than a dram and a yarn?
This 12-year-old Speyside whisky is finished in ruby port casks giving it a distinctive red finish. The ruby port casks were handpicked from our cask supplier in Portugal. The profile of these casks not only provide a distinctive red hue but also enhance the flavour of the whisky that fills them.
