Established in 1819 by the Marquis of Stafford, Clynelish was one of the first purpose-built distilleries. Unfortunately, due to a recession, the distillery closed in 1931 and did not open again until the end of World War II. By the 1960s Clynelish was modernized and electricity replaced coal. A new distillery was built in a rural setting in the Northern Highlands opposite its now-silent sister distillery, Brora. Clynelish has since continued to produce a muscular, slightly peaty whisky much valued by blenders – this is one of the base spirits for the excellent Johnnie Walker Gold Label.