It’s often said that Scotland’s two greatest exports are Scotch Whisky and its people.

In 2018, Scotch Whisky exports reached a record high of 1.28 billion bottles per annum (or 41 bottles per second), worth a staggering £4.7 billion.

Migration figures during the Scottish diaspora are equally remarkable. In the 70 year period between 1861 – 1931 (that’s about 2½ generations) over 2.6 million souls emigrated from Scotland to start a new life elsewhere, principally the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and England. (That’s about 1 million people per generation!) Today, there are some 25 million people worldwide who identify as being ‘Scottish’. These are the ‘Nation of Scots’.

A surprisingly large number of migrants embarked from various small ports on the Scottish shores of the Solway Firth, including Glencaple, Dumfries, Carsethorn and, of course, Annan. Some migrants departed on direct sailings to far flung places in what would now be considered to be ludicrously small sailing ships, whilst others transited via Liverpool to join larger vessels. It’s hardly surprising that there are various places named ‘Annan’ or ‘Annandale’ in all of the principal overseas emigration destinations (Annandale in Sydney, Virginia, and Prince Edward Island and Mount Annan in New Zealand, to name a few).

With Nation of Scots Blended Scotch Whisky, Annandale Distillery salutes our intrepid forebearers and reaches out to the worldwide community of Scots.