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| Region: Speyside | |
|---|---|
| Location | Dufftown, Moray, Scotland |
| Owner | Diageo |
| Founded | 1823 |
| Status | Active |
| Water source | Dykehead Catsvraig |
| No. of stills | 3 wash stills 3 spirit stills |
| Capacity | 3,700,000 litres |
Mortlach distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery in Dufftown, Moray, Scotland. Founded in 1823, the distillery is owned by Diageo. [1] The whisky is a key component in several Johnnie Walker bottlings, [2] and Diageo also markets four Mortlach single malts.
Established in 1823 by James Findlater in the wake of the Excise Act, on the site of an older illicit distillery, Mortlach was the first legal distillery in Dufftown. It was the only distillery in Dufftown until Glenfiddich was founded in 1887. Glenfiddich founder William Grant, worked at Mortlach distillery, and was even appointed the manager, for 20 years previous to this. [3] Back then the output was about 50 gallons per week and it was generally sold direct off the still in 9 or 10 gallon casks to the very few well-to-do local gentry who could afford it. The price was about 9\- per gallon duty paid. There were few roads of any consequence and delivery was usually by pack pony over the rough hill tracks. [3]
In its early years, between 1823 and 1853 the distillery passed from owner to owner, at one point even becoming a brewery. In 1853, engineer George Cowie, who had worked with Thomas Grainger and John Miller, joined John Gordon as owner of the distillery. [4]
In 1867 George Cowie became sole owner of the distillery. The Elgin Courant wrote in 1868 that "There is not perhaps a distillery in Scotland that has so many private customers as Mortlach from whisky spirits are sent not only over the three kingdom's to families, but to America, India, China and Australia, in all of whisky Mr Cowie has customers who prefer his distillation to all others". [5]
Born in 1861, Alexander Mitchell Cowie graduated in medicine from the University of Aberdeen before moving to Vienna and then Hong Kong. In 1896 when he found out his father was falling ill, Alexander returned to Dufftown and took control of the distillery. Working with the distillery architect Charles C Doig, Mortlach was expanded in 1897, the 2.81 distillation process was put into place and the railway siding known as the 'Strathspey line' linked it directly to Dufftown. The distillery also received electrical lighting in 1898, one of the first in the area. Alexander became chairman of the North of Scotland Malt Distiller's Association. [5]
In 1923 John Walker and Sons bought the distillery and much of its whisky was used in their blends. The company joined Distillers Company in 1925. [6]
Guinness acquired The Distillers Company in 1986. [7] Guinness merged with Grand Metropolitan in 1997 to form Diageo. [8]
In 2014, owner Diageo launched four luxury single malts under the Mortlach name. [9]
In 2023, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice 31 Year Old, made by Mortlach Distillery in 1989, won the title of 'Whisky of the Year' at the annual International Whisky Competition. [10]
Scotch whisky, often simply called whisky or Scotch, is malt whisky or grain whisky made in Scotland.
Speyside single malts are single malt Scotch whiskies, distilled in Strathspey, the area around the River Spey in Moray and Badenoch and Strathspey, in northeastern Scotland.
Royal Brackla distillery is a Highland single malt Scotch whisky distillery on the Cawdor Estate, near Nairn in Scotland.
The Glenlivet distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery near Ballindalloch in Moray, Scotland, that produces single malt Scotch whisky. It is the oldest legal distillery in the Highlands of Scotland. It was founded in 1824 and has operated almost continuously since.
Talisker distillery is an island single malt Scotch whisky distillery based in Carbost, Scotland on the Minginish Peninsula on the Isle of Skye.
The Macallan distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery in Craigellachie in Moray in the north-east of Scotland. The Macallan Distillers Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Edrington, which purchased the brand from Highland Distillers in 1999.
Glenfiddich distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery located in the Scottish burgh of Dufftown in Moray, Scotland. Is owned by William Grant & Sons. The name Glenfiddich derives from the Scottish Gaelic Gleann Fhiodhaich meaning "valley of the deer", which is reflected in Glenfiddich's stag logo.
Balvenie distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery located in Dufftown, Scotland. Is owned by William Grant & Sons.
William Grant & Sons Ltd is an independent, family-owned Scottish company that distills Scotch whisky and other selected categories of spirits. It was established in 1887 by William Grant, and is run by Grant's descendants as of 2018. It is the largest of the handful of Scotch whisky distillers remaining in family ownership.
The Dalwhinnie distillery, situated in the Highland village of Dalwhinnie in Scotland, produces single malt Scotch whisky. The Dalwhinnie distillery is located in the Badenoch and Strathspey ward of the Highland Council and therefore is in the Speyside region. Under SWA regulations the full Speyside region falls within the boundaries of the Highlands and so can be labelled as such. The distillery is owned by Diageo.
Oban distillery is a Highland single malt Scotch whisky distillery located in the Scottish west coast port of Oban. Established in 1794, it was built before the town of the same name, which sprang up later in the surrounding craggy harbour.
Benromach distillery is a Speyside distillery founded by Duncan McCallum and F.W. Brickman in 1898 and currently owned and run by Gordon and Macphail of Elgin. It is situated near Forres in Morayshire and is fed with spring water from the Chapelton Springs in the Romach Hills beside Forres.
Cardhu distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery near Archiestown, Moray, Scotland. It was founded in 1824 by whisky smuggler John Cumming and his wife Helen.
Kininvie distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery located in Dufftown, Moray, Scotland. The distillery is owned by William Grant & Sons and the product from the distillery is used in their blended malt and blended whisky brands.
Knockando distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery, located in Knockando, Moray, in the Strathspey whisky-producing area of Scotland.
Tamdhu distillery is a single malt Scotch Speyside whisky distillery, located in the village of Knockando in Banffshire, Scotland. Tamdhu comes from Gaelic for "little dark hill".
Dufftown distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery in Dufftown, Moray, Scotland.
Craigellachie distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery in the village of Craigellachie at the centre of the Speyside whisky producing area of Scotland. The name Craigellachie means 'rocky hill' and refers to the cliff that overlooks the Spey across from The Macallan distillery.
Convalmore distillery is a inactive Speyside single malt Scotch whisky in Dufftown, Moray, Scotland.
Coleburn distillery is a inactive Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery in Longmorn, Elgin in Scotland.
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