A whisky connoisseur and hospitality industry veteran has launched a new whisky after spotting a gap in the market for a modern and versatile blended Scotch that could “hold its own as a dram” and also be used in cocktails.
“Proud Glaswegian,” Timuçin Yildirim, who spent 19 years as operations manager of the Oran Mor venue in the city’s West End, is the man behind No Mean City whisky.
The name and inspiration come from H Kingsley Long and Alexander McArthur’s 1935 novel No Mean City, which tells an unvarnished tale of razor gangs in 1920s Glasgow that reveals the resilience and grit of its working-class inhabitants.
Bottled at 40% ABV with a striking label designed by Scottish artist Michael Corn, No Mean City is produced in collaboration with Ian Macleod Distillers, the creator of whiskies including Glengoyne, Tamdhu, and Smokehead.
It is a sweet and fruity whisky, with notes of pear, berries, apple and halfpenny chews, with a lightly spiced finish reminiscent of a “warm tenement fireplace”.
The launch has initially targeted the on-trade, and the whisky is available in around 15 pubs and restaurants in Glasgow and two in Edinburgh. No Mean City has, however, already gained a razor-thin foothold in retail with listings in Inverness Whisky and Glasgow’s Piper Bottle Shop. It can also be purchased online, with a 70cl bottle costing £28.
Timuçin Yildirim commented: “The Glaswegian spirit is so gritty, bold and real, and it’s captured perfectly in the book No Mean City. We don’t shy away from who we are, and neither does our whisky.
“We are a blend, an extremely good one and I’m proud of what we have created.”
