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360° panoramas are available for viewing
of the Longmorn
and Macallan
distilleries.
This distillery does not lay claim to distilling whisky by
the Lour Burn for a thousand years; but with that acute sense
of history which characterises the Scotch whisky trade, the
proprietors will point out to the visitor that St. Dunstan
(or Drostan as he was known in Scotland), Archbishop of Canterbury
in AD 960, carried out his early baptismal ceremonies in a
spring of mountain water of exceptional softness, purity and
tang which is today use by the distillery. Established in
the 1860's , the present-day distillery uses all the latest
methods of production.
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Operational only from 1975 it represents all that is modern
in the construction of a malt whisky distillery. Built of
local granite-harled walls and blue slated roofs, the distillery
is one of several of a new generation in which mashing, fermenting
and distilling are under the control of one man and a master
control panel. The final production of the spirit remains
within the jurisdiction of the manual skill of the stillman
- and for one other reminder of the traditional there are
the four small pagoda roofs framed against the background
of the granite hillside of Ben Rinnes
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The distillery was built by the Teacher family in 1898. It
makes a fine malt whisky of outstanding character. This malt,
which is not sold to the public as a pure malt, is used exclusively
by Teacher's for blending. The family have zealously kept
the total production of this distillery which is responsible
for the unique and characterful flavour of their own blend.
Another distillery, Glendronach, lies snug and remote in the
Glen of the Dronac Burn on a site long associated with the
ancient art of distilling.
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Defined in Gaelic as the "crossing of the red ford",
it was commissioned in 1974, having been constructed on a
green field site and designed to incorporate the best of modern
building and production techniques with all the traditional
elements of Scotch whisky distilling. It blends remarkably
well with its surroundings and the visitor will be struck
by the apparently deserted air and the tranquility of the
complex, with only nine men handling a 24-hour shift cycle
in production.
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Dating back to the days of the illicit distillers it claims
a pedigree covering more than two centuries. The records -
from an age abounding with excise men - are vague for fairly
obvious reasons but 1749 is suggested by the parent company
as being the date of establishment. It is possible, however,
the Balblair began as a brewery like some other Highland stills
and it was not until the 19th century that the names of proprietors
emerged and records became clearer.
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Built in the late 19th century adjacent to the sister, the
Glenfiddich Distillery, it retains one of the few hand-turned
malting floors on Speyside, and like its sister distillery
draws water from a secret spring, the "Robbie Dubh".
At Glenfiddich the original buildings have been converted
into a reception centre and museum and over 50,000 visitors
are welcomed annually.
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Completed in 1897, it was only six years old when boom years
in the Scotch whisky industry gave way to a recession. Though
closed in 1903, the malting continued in operation and supplied
an associate distillery until benriach was re-equipped and
reopened in 1965. It is situated near Elgin, the town in which
Bonnie Prince Charlie lodged before being defeated at Culloden
in 1745; an occasion which numbered among its many after-effects
the burning antagonism which the illicit Highland pot stillers
subsequently felt for the excise authorities.
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An Islay distillery established in 1779 and still a private
family owned company, Bowmore is reputed to be the oldest
legal distillery on the island. Situated on the shores of
Lochindall where the sea breezes enhance a whisky whose flavour
and character are typical of the Islay type. One of the few
remaining distilleries still floor malting and with a plentiful
supply of pure water from the river Laggan and peat from our
mosses the quality and continuity of Bowmore is guaranteed.
The reception centre, a distinct feature of the distillery,
was completed in 1974 to accommodate an increasing number
of visitors that the island has attracted.
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Built in the area of the illicit stills which gave the excise
men or gaugers of the 18th and early 19th century so much
trouble and so much pain, it went into production in 1973.
The construction is traditional - local stone base, white
harled walls, blue slated mansard roofs with a typical pagoda
roof crowned by a golden cockerel. As in most new distilleries
the early product will go for blending - but the hope as always
is also to bottle eventually a whisky which can rank with
the great single malts.
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This distillery, which was built in 1881 and modernised in
1960, commands one of the most picturesque sites in the Scotch
whisky industry on the western shore of the sea loch, Loch
Indall, on the islands of Islay. It is the most westerly of
all the Scotch whisky distilleries and has an annual capacity
of 450,000 proof gallons.
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Built in 1846, this distillery has recently been rebuilt and
modernised, with a very large expansion to almost double the
out put of the distillery. Barley arrives at Port Ellen and
is processed and the resultant malt is transported to Caol
Ila. The Whisky, which has a strongly peated malt flavour,
goes out from Caol Ila by road and ferry.
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The distillery was built in 1896, in the area of the Speyside
malt whiskies, an area abounding in distilleries, undoubtedly
without parallel anywhere on this globe. All paths seem to
lead to a still-house and the first licenses to distil whisky
under the legislation of 1823 which opened the way to the
modern Scotch industry were granted hereabouts. The new legitimate
operators were anything but popular with their firmer smuggler
friends and one, George Smith, wrote "a pair of hair
trigger pistols worth ten guineas were never out of my belt
for years" - apparently even in church.
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Originating in 1785 as one of Scotland's first cotton-spinning
mills, it was designed by the textile pioneer, Sir Richard
Arkwright, Mills and distilleries have one thing in common,
a need for a regular, unfailing supply of pure soft water,
and in 1965 when textile manufacture was discontinued on the
site the proprietors decided to convert the old mill into
a distillery. The old buildings under their new lease of life
are now capable of producing 750,000 proof gallons of Highland
malt whisky annually.
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Situated beside the village of Fettercairn the distillery
has the distinction of being one of the oldest Highland malt
distilleries in Scotland. Licensed in 1824, its capacity is
now in the region of half a million proof gallons of pure
Highland malt whisky. Pure fresh water is drawn from springs
high in the Cairngorms and this contributes to the consistently
high quality and flavour of the malt whisky.
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Built as a grain distillery in 1963, it is one of the largest
and most modern in Europe producing well over 15,000,000 gallons
annually with warehouse facilities for 25,000,000 gallons.
The site covers 64 acres and three years after the establishment
of the grain distillery, a Lowland malt distillery, Ladyburn,
was added, In this area the visitor is never very far from
the sight of Ailsa Craig - the granite sugar-load islet, which
is such a distinctive feature of the Firth of Clyde.
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One of the most modern distilleries in Scotland , starting
production in 1967. The white walled, grey roofed buildings
are built in traditional style in order to blend in with the
Highland countryside and the water for mashing is drawn from
Ben Rinnes, one of the outstanding peaks in an area of great
natural beauty. Nearby is that other dominating feature of
the landscape, the second largest river in Scotland, the River
Spey, famed not only for the distilleries gathered near its
banks but also for that other giant of the Scottish heritage
- salmon.
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This distillery is situated just outside Brechin, the market
town for a considerable area of Strathmore in Angus. It was
built in 1825 and is one of the Highland Malt distilleries
whose entire production is used for blending.
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Established in 1836, this distillery was acquired by the Grant
family in 1835 and has been owned and operated by members
of the family ever since. Situated on open moorland where
the River Avon joins the Spey, it is another of the Speyside
plants which welcomes visitors and includes on the premises
a fine exhibition with many interesting items of whisky lore.
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Its history can be traced back beyond the date of its formal
start in 1843. Early in the 18th century, there was a well-known
brewery on the site - and no doubt distilling was also carried
on in the area as a adjunct to farming. The distillery takes
its name from being in the glen of the Morangie Burn but the
water supply is drawn from two private springs on Tarlogie
Hill, half a mile above the distillery.
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This distillery was founded in 1878 and actually began production
the following year on the night of the Tay Bridge disaster.
In 1887 it was taken over by Highland Distilleries, it's present
owners. Water is drawn from springs on Glenrothes' own 3000
acre farm, but it also has rights to the "Fairies"
wishing well by Downie Burn, where all the good people of
Rothes used to take their Sunday walk.
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This distillery claims ancestry back to 1775 and lies on the
banks of the clear, cool River Turret which rises on Benchonzie
and flows through one of the most attractive glens in Scotland.
Due to the recession in the whisky industry in the early part
of this century and lasting through the First World War and
Prohibition in the United States, Glenturret was one of the
many distilleries which had to close. That was in 1921. The
present distillery was opened as a fully automated installation
in 1959.
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Established in Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands in 1789 on the
site of the bothy of a famous smuggler in these parts, Magnus
Eunson. Even the church apparently smiled on his activities
for Eunson was a church officer and numbered among his ploys
to avoid discovery the hiding place of his illicit whisky
under the pulpit and various other parts of the building.
The distillery does its own malting and the Orkney peat, it
is said, imparts an aroma to the whisky which is quite different
to that of the mainland malts.
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It is the only distillery on the islands and provides the
sole industry other that the farms and estates. It is one
of the oldest distilleries in Scotland with illicit origins
in a cave adjacent to the existing buildings which overlook
the Sound of Jura. Established originally in 1810, with substantial
improvements being made in 1875, the distillery was completely
rebuilt in the 1960s. Since then the population of the island,
which had declined steadily over the past half century, has
crept up again to nearly 200.
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This distillery's name is derived from the Gaelic for "little
black hillock" and it is situated in a typical Highland
glen within the proverbial stone's-throw from the River Spey.
Like so many other Highland malt distilleries, Knockando,
which was built in 1898, produces whisky principally for blending.
With as many or more than 40 different single whiskies in
a blend and about 100 main brands on the home market alone
the blending outlet - despite the growth in the popularity
of single malt whisky drinking - is of paramount importance.
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Situated near Elgin in the region famed for distilling Malt
Scotch Whisky it has a charm of its own, built on a wooded
site with Linkwood Burn running into a small loch which was
the prime source of power by the old time water wheel. The
first record of the distillery dates back to 1820 and Linkwood
Malt has been made for over 150 years in "unremitting
vigilance". The old maltings remain but the still house,
with its copper pot stills, is glass fronted and yet manages
to blend into a century and a half of history.
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Situated on the Isle of Islay this is one of the malt whisky
distilleries which continues to malt its own barley in traditional
fashion and under the distinctive pagoda-shaped chimneys a
peat fire dries the newly malted barley and gives it the flavour
of the island. Situated on a bay and sheltered by small rocky
islands, the distillery dates back to 1815 and contains added
interest in that the buildings include a hall where local
villagers have for long held their ceilidhs (night of music,
dancing and stories) and in which there are some old valuable
paintings of the island.
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Although built in the middle of the 18th century it was probably
better known at that time as a brewery. By the 1820s, however,
it is known to have been distilling 20,000 gallons annually
and - with the exception of a two-year closure after the 1929
crash - it has never looked back. Again, like some other whiskies
classified as Lowland malts, Littlemill takes its water and
peat from above the imaginary Highland line, Nearby are the
remains of a very real line from earlier centuries - the western
end of the Antonine Wall, built by the Romans to contain the
Pictish tribesmen to the north.
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In 1894 John Duff built Longmorn Distillery on the site of
an ancient mill close to Elgin in Morayshire. He was a distiller
of considerable experience and recognised that the spring
water near the mill would be admirably suited to the making
of malt whisky. His opinion was indeed justified and the small
spring has never been known to dry up, providing a constant
source of pure water. In 1897 the firm became The Longmorn-Glenlivet
Distilleries Ltd. In 1914 J. R. Grant took over the management
of the Company and the Grant family have been associated with
the distillery ever since.
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The redolence of barley and burn water, the misty influence
of peat smoke, are caught and transmuted within vessels of
curious but time honoured smallness - reflecting Macallan's
commitment to tradition. The distillery overlooks the villages
of Craigellachie and Charlestown from the steeply rising slopes
of the left bank of Spey. The mellow-stone 17th century manor
house nearby, Easter Elchies, is a fitting monument to the
birthplace in 1824 of this venerable and generous spirit.
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This was built in 1885 by a group of Scotch whisky blenders
who wished to have a share in, and control of, their own grain
distillery. By 1970 they had produced 250 million proof gallons
and to mark the occasion, a special display cask was made
to hold the appropriate gallon. It is one of the two distilleries
in Edinburgh - the capital city of Scotland where in the early
16th century only surgeons and barbers were allowed to dispense
"aqua vitae". The monopoly was short-lived, if it
ever did have any real effect, for the output of the surgical
guild was considerably augmented by the medicine produced
by the illicit stills. The barbers were also not above "selling
off" a slice of their monopoly on occasion. Caledonian,
Edinburgh's other distillery, has now ceased production.
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Bell's bought the Dufftown-Glenlivet distillery in 1933 (although
the distillery itself was established in 1896), and the excellence
of the water used there, which is drawn from a famous well
in the district known as "Jock's Well", was largely
instrumental in Bell's decision to build their new Pittyvaich-Glenlivet
distillery which opened production in 1974, almost adjacent
to eh Dufftown-Glenlivet. The style of buildings is radically
different, although the well-tried and proven systems of production
have not changed. Pittyvaich has now ceased production.
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Situated on the outskirts of Wick on the wind-swept north-eastern
tip of Scotland, it was established in 1826. Nearby is the
14th century Castle Oliphant which seamen describe as a landmark
as "The Auld Man o' Wick". Pulteney was closed during
the slump in the trade early this century and was only reopened
in 1951. The water is drawn from a loch, four miles distant,
and there is an abundance of local peat.
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Originally called Milton Distillery, it lays claim to be the
oldest operating distillery in the Highlands. Founded in 1786
on the site of a brewery, which it is recorded was working
in 1545, the distillery is of the small traditional type with
many buildings reminiscent of farm steadings and with twin
pagoda roofs. One pair of stills are coal-fired and the other
pair are steam-heated. It is situated in Keith, an agricultural
town whose oldest extant building , the Milton Tower, was
built in 1480.
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Sited on the legendary Isle of Skye by the stores of Loch
Harport on the western coast, it was established in 1830.
It is the only distillery on the island and water is drawn
from the local Carbost Burn. Again, the product has that distinctive
peaty flavour of the west coast malts which is valued by the
blender and the single malt enthusiast alike. Like other distilleries
in similar situations in Scotland, Talisker performs another
valuable service... as a source of employment and a focal
point of rural community life.
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Established in 1897, this distillery has just need extensively
refitted and is now one of the most modern in Speyside. Whisky
is matured in casks in a bonded warehouse on the site.
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With the final additions to the distillery completed early
in 1975 tomatin had two Lauter mash tuns, twenty-four steel
washbacks and twenty-three stills; it is capable of producing
almost five million gallons a year. Although tomatin has been
one of the leaders in distillery technology in the past, these
new additions made the distillery one of the most modern in
technological terms amongst all malt distilleries.
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The first completely new malt distillery to be built in the
Highlands this century, was started in 1958 and makes a complete
break with traditional designs. Situated near the village
of Advie, it is something of a village in itself with the
workers' houses being designed as part of the overall plan.
A curling pond, an imitation water-mill, and a chiming clock
above the cooperage, which plays the tune "Highland Laddie"
on the hour, are other interesting features of the complex
which is the work of the British architect, Sir Albert Richardson.
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