Aultmore Distillery: The Hidden Gem of Speyside Nestled discreetly along the A96 highway from Keith to Fochabers, Aultmore presents itself as the "white distillery"—an architectural beacon that belies its elusive nature. Unlike its Speyside neighbors who welcome visitors year-round, Aultmore maintains an air of mystery, opening its doors only during the prestigious Spirit of Speyside Festival each May. This rare accessibility, combined with a near-total demolition of its 1896 structures during a 1970s reconstruction, makes any glimpse inside this operational fortress a coveted experience for whisky pilgrims. PRODUCTION & CAPACITY The distillery houses a formidable 10-ton Steinecker full-lauter mash tun, six washbacks with a notably short minimum fermentation of 56 hours (preserving a light, grassy character), and four copper pot stills. Since 2008, Aultmore has operated a relentless seven-day production schedule, achieving 16 mashes weekly by 2019 and an annual output exceeding 3 million liters of new make spirit—placing it among Speyside's workhorse distilleries despite its low profile. OWNERSHIP & MARKET POSITION Under Diageo's stewardship, Aultmore's single malt was confined to the collector's realm, appearing sparingly in the Flora & Fauna and Rare Malts series. The 1998 acquisition by Bacardi/Dewar's initially seemed promising with a 12-year-old official bottling, yet the distillery retreated into obscurity for 16 years, existing primarily through independent bottlings. The paradigm shifted dramatically in 2014/15 with Bacardi's "Last Great Malts" campaign, which catapulted Aultmore into the spotlight as a centerpiece of the portfolio. CORE RANGE & LIMITED RELEASES The foundation consists of Aultmore 12 Year Old and 18 Year Old expressions, showcasing the distillery's signature profile of clean, herbal, and delicately fruity notes. The 25 Year Old has been discontinued, while the 21 Year Old remains a duty-free and US market exclusive. The Exceptional Cask Series, launched in 2018, represents the distillery's foray into luxury finishing—a Heathrow Airport exclusive trilogy of 22-year-old whiskies spent their final 11 years in Super Tuscan wine, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and Moscatel casks respectively. Complementing this, a 17-year-old multi-cask matured expression, including time in rare Palo Cortado sherry casks, debuted in late 2019, further cementing Aultmore's reputation for innovative wood management. CHARACTER & COLLECTIBILITY Aultmore's spirit is prized for its ethereal, almost transparent profile—light grassy notes, lemon zest, and white pepper—making it a blender's dream and a connoisseur's secret. Its scarcity in official bottlings prior to 2014 has created a fervent secondary market for vintage independent releases, while the new OB portfolio is rapidly gaining traction among enthusiasts seeking authentic, unpeated Speyside character.
History
In 1895, Alexander Edward from Leith—who had inherited Benrinnes Distillery from his father and whose group had built Craigellachie Distillery—constructed Aultmore Distillery five miles north of Keith. The location, called "Foggie Moss," possessed abundant spring water and rich peat, making it a favorite among illicit distillers in the early 19th century. Aultmore began production in 1897; notably, its output doubled within a year (reaching 100,000 gallons per year) and electric lighting was installed, though all machinery was driven by steam engines or water wheels. These water wheels and the Abernethy 10-horsepower steam engines, which worked until the 1960s, remain on site, though long retired. Edward purchased Oban Distillery in 1898, issued shares, and established The Oban and Aultmore-Glenlivet Distilleries Ltd, which was oversubscribed. Unfortunately, one of the company's directors was too closely involved with Pattison's of Leith—a blended Scotch whisky brand—which dramatically went bankrupt in 1900. The distillery cut production, but Aultmore survived, was put up for sale in 1923, and eventually acquired by John Dewar & Sons. In 1925, Dewar's joined D.C.L. (predecessor of Diageo), and from then until 1998 (when the brand and its associated distilleries were sold to Bacardi), it was managed by S.M.D. (also predecessor of Diageo) and its successors. In 1967, they converted the stills to steam heating; in 1968, they closed Aultmore's malting floors, demolished the distillery, and rebuilt it in "slate street" style, also adding two more stills in 1971. Before 1996, its products were never bottled as single malt whisky by its owners, although many bottlers had considered it a top-grade whisky from the beginning. In 1998, after Bacardi's acquisition of John Dewar & Sons, Aultmore (along with four other distilleries) became part of Bacardi. The distillery released three new products in 2014—12-year, 21-year, and 25-year expressions—and an 18-year regular edition in 2015.
Curiosities
Aultmore means 'big river' in Gaelic.
Timeline
Founded by Alexander Edward.
Distillery begins production.
Managed by Oban & Aultmore Glenlivet Distilleries.
Alexander Edward sells Aultmore Distillery to Dewar's for £20,000.
Dewar's becomes part of Distillers Company Limited (DCL).
Management transferred to Scottish Malt Distillers (SMD).
Two stills added, doubling production capacity.
United Distillers launches Aultmore 12 Year Old in the Flora & Fauna series.
Aultmore 21 Year Old launched, bottled at cask strength as part of the Rare Malts Selection.
Sold to Bacardi.
Aultmore 12 Year Old released in new official bottling.
Three new expressions launched in duty-free: Aultmore 12 Year Old, Aultmore 21 Year Old, and Aultmore 25 Year Old.
Aultmore 18 Year Old launched.
Three-pack of Aultmore 22 Year Old launched in duty-free, each with different secondary maturation.
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