Alexander Bonthrone (1798-1890) established the distillery in 1829, when he was 31 years old and worked the stills for the next six decades, almost until his death in 1890 – making him one of Scotland’s oldest distillers. He held several civic titles: a Baillie to burgh magistrate, Justice of the Peace and Municipal Councillor. A committed Liberal, he advised Herbert Asquith, the local MP on whisky matters. Asquith later became Prime Minister 1908 – 1916 and stood against Lloyd George’s proposal of Prohibition in Britain.

Alexander’s younger brother, John Bonthrone (1799-1881), was described as “pioneer of the malt trade” one of Scotland’s first commercial maltsters. He was instrumental in the construction of Fife & Kinross Railway, with the station opening at Auchtermuchty in 1857.