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Ghost / silent distillery
A distillery that has closed and been dismantled ('ghost'), or one that has stopped production but could restart ('silent' or 'mothballed'). Remaining stock is finite and cannot be replaced.
Not a legal term
No whisky regulation in Scotland, Ireland, the United States, the EU or Japan defines this. It is a trade or marketing term, so it is only actionable if its use is actively misleading.
Often confused with a silent season
A 'silent season' is the routine annual shutdown for maintenance at an operating distillery, not closure.
Worth knowing
The categories are not permanent: Brora, Port Ellen and Rosebank were all 'lost' distilleries that have reopened — which resets the scarcity narrative but not the value of pre-closure stock, since post-reopening spirit is a different production.
Related terms
Last reviewed 2026-07-30 · All glossary terms