Ballindalloch (Ballindalloch)

Ballindalloch

Speyside•United Kingdom

Ballindalloch: In 2012, the Macpherson-Grant family, owners of Ballindalloch Castle in the heart of Scotland's Speyside region, decided to convert a farm built in 1820 into a whisky distillery. The family has been involved in distilling since the 1860s; from 1923 to 1965, they were part owners of the nearby Cragganmore distillery. Now, the old farm and its buildings have been renovated into a new distillery, visible from the A95 highway between Aberlour and Grantown-on-Spey. The distillery's water source is the nearby Garline spring; all barley is grown on the farm. All equipment is located on the second floor so visitors can clearly see the production process. The distillery is equipped with a very special 1.5-ton copper-topped cast iron mash tun; it also has 4 Oregon pine fermentation vats (with longer fermentation times to increase the fruity flavor of the whisky). Currently, the long fermentation time is 140 hours; the short fermentation time is 92 hours. In addition, the distillery also has a 5,000-liter lantern-shaped wash still and a 3,600-liter spirit still with a reflux ball. To cool the steam from the stills, these two stills are connected to two wooden worm tub condensers. The distillery was put into use in September 2014; on April 16, 2015, after Prince Charles cut the ribbon, it officially opened. The distillery operates 5 days a week with a capacity of 100,000 liters. The distillery hopes to produce robust, full-bodied whisky. To achieve this, worm tub condensers are used. It is expected that in 2022, the distillery will launch its first single malt whisky. As of March 2019, the distillery has filled 3,000 barrels of matured whisky. Visitors can tour the distillery by appointment. In addition, visitors also have the opportunity to participate in the entire whisky-making process, that is, under the guidance of staff, experience and learn the production process from mashing to maturation.

Address:

Ballindalloch Estate, Banffshire

Ownership:

Ballindalloch Distillery LLP

Visitor Information:

需预约

Production Capacity:

100000 L.P.A.

History

Since 1546, Ballindalloch Castle has been the ancestral home of the Macpherson-Grant family. Cragganmore Distillery is located within the estate and was partially owned by the Grant family between 1923 and 1965. Benefiting from a £1.2 million grant from the Scottish Government, the family built a small traditional distillery on their farm after difficult restoration work, near the golf club they had recently created. The distillery's equipment was manufactured by Forsyths of Rothes, including worm tub condensers, and all repair and renovation work was completed by local people. Experienced distiller Charles Smith (previously worked at Glenkinchie, Talisker, and other distilleries) served as consultant, and Brian Robinson (former visitor center manager at Glenfiddich and Glenlivet) was responsible for hosting guests. The distillery commenced production in September 2014.

Curiosities

The idea for this distillery came from a conversation after a match at the nearby Ballindalloch Golf Course, with participants including the laird Oliver Russell, Richard Forsyth (managing director of Forsyths, the renowned still manufacturer), and Douglas Cruickshank (production director at Chivas Brothers). This is not the first legal distillery on the Ballindalloch estate. In 1823—the same year the Excise Act was passed, which laid the foundation for the modern whisky industry—Delnashaugh Distillery obtained a distillation license, being the only one in the Speyside region to do so at that time. Subsequently, Balmenach, Cardow/Cardhu, Drumin (The Glenlivet), Macallan, Miltonduff, and Mortlach all obtained licenses. The distillery's spirit safes can be traced back to 1863, when they were gifted by Cragganmore Distillery, which was also built on the estate grounds with the assistance of Sir George McPherson-Grant (see "Cragganmore"). Visitor facilities include a "Long Gallery" and "Club Room," designed as an extension of Ballindalloch Castle, featuring portraits, custom furniture, and wood-burning stoves. Barley is grown on the estate, and whisky matures on-site. McPherson-Grant described Ballindalloch Distillery as the only "single estate" distillery (contrary opinions see "Arbikie").

Ballindalloch

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