Blair Athol Distillery
Blair Athol Distillery is a distillery in Scotland that distills Blair Athol single malt whisky. It is used in Bell’s whisky, and is also normally available in a 12-year-old bottling. The distillery is located on the south edge of Pitlochry in Perthshire, near the River Tummel.
The distillery was founded in 1798 by John Steward and Robert Robertson, originally named ‘Aldour’, after the Allt Dour burn the distillery draws it water from, but closed soon after opening. The distillery opened again and changed ownership to John Robertson in 1825.
It was sold several times in the period after, going from John Robertson to Alexander Conacher & Co., then to John Conacher & Co, which was inherited by Elizabeth Conacher in 1860. It was sold again to Peter Fraser & Co, and again to Peter Mackenzie of P. McKenzie & Co Distillers Limited in 1882.
The distillery closed down in 1932. The mothballed distillery was bought by Arthur Bell and Sons, but didn’t open again until it was rebuilt in 1949. In 1973 the distillery expanded, adding two further stills to the previous two.
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Owner
Diageo
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Status
Operational
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Country
Scotland
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Region
Highland
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Production type:
Single Malt
Blended Whisky (Bell's) -
Founded
1798
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Production yearly
2.650.000 Liters
History
The central Perthshire town of Pitlochry sits on the banks of the River Tay and has had a distillery since 1798, making its plant one of the oldest legal whisky-making sites in Scotland. The original distillery was named Aldour after the burn which supplied it with process water, but changed its name to Blair Athol [after a village seven miles to the north] in 1825. This could conceivably have been to sweeten the Duke of Athol who owned the land
It became part of the Peter Mackenzie blending house in 1886, but like many distilleries suffered during the economic troubles of the 1930s and fell silent between 1932 and 1949. In the interim period however Mackenzie (and its estate, which also included Dufftown distillery) had been bought by Perth-based blender, Arthur Bell & Sons.
By the 1970s, Bell’s was being built into the UK’s top-selling blended Scotch and, as a result, Blair Athol was doubled in capacity. Guinness (which bought Bell’s in 1985, and after further mergers evolved into Diageo) opened a visitor’s centre in 1987.
In an attempt to tap into the then infant single malt market, Bell’s bottled it as an eight-year-old in the 1980s, but in the Diageo era it has only appeared as a member of the Flora & Fauna range (at 12 years of age), matured in first-fill ex-Sherry casks.Â
Distillery Facts
- All
- Gallery Item
Heat source:
Steam
Spirit Stills:
2 with 11.500 liters of low wine added to the spirit still. The shape of the spirit still is a plain.Â
Wash Still:
2 wash still with a capacity of 14.000 liters. The shape of the wash still is plain.Â
Water Source:
Kinnaird Burn
Washbacks:
6 washbacks with a capacity of 40.000 liters each.
Type of wash back used:
4 woodÂ
2 stainless steel Â
New Make Spirit:
67% ABVÂ
Filling strength will be 63.5% abv
Warehouses:
Dunnage warehousesÂ
Yeast type:
Creamed
Malt supplier:
Mostly in-house
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Taste profile
- medium bodied
- medium sweetness, honey and fruity notes
- medium malty, nutty, spices
- medium smokey notesÂ
Core rangeÂ
At this point Benromach’s core range is:Â
- 12 year old Flora & FaunaÂ
- 23 year old distilled 1993Â
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Distillery Tours
Blair Athol Signature Tour
A guided distillery experience followed by a tutored tasting of three whiskies including our Distillery Exclusive Bottling and a gift.
DURATION:
DRAMS
COST
BlairAthol Allt Dour Tour
A guided distillery tour followed by a tutored tasting of six extraordinary whiskies. This tasting experience includes a cask strength whisky drawn straight from the cask and our Distillery Exclusive Bottling. Plus a gift to take home and enjoy.
DURATION:
DRAMS
COST
Master Class Experience
A tutored tasting of four whiskies including our Distillery Exclusive Bottling and gift. Children under 18 will be welcomed free of charge with a limit of two children per group
COST
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Visitor centerÂ
JANUARY – FEBRUARY/ NOVEMBER – DECEMBER
Monday – Sunday:
10:00 – 16:30Â
Â
MARCH – MAY – OCTOBER
Monday – Sunday
10:00 – 17:00
Â
JUNE- SEPTEMBERÂ
Monday – Sunday
10:00 – 18:30Â
Â
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CONTACT DETAILS
Perth Road
Pitlochry
Perthshire
PH16 5LY
United Kingdom
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tel: +44 1796 482003
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blair.athol@malts.com