Dufftown

Introduction:

The Dufftown Single Malt distillery is located in the scenic Spey Valley, nestled amidst dense foliage. While official bottlings have been limited in recent years, they have included the “Singleton of Dufftown” and the “Dufftown 15-year old,” both part of Diageo’s Flora and Fauna range. Additional official bottlings were available in the 1990s and can still be found in the market. Independent bottlings from the distillery have been rare, with only a few by Signatory, Whisky Galore, and Murray McDavid. Interestingly, only 3% of the distillery’s Single Malt is marketed as such, as the majority of the produced alcohol is used in Arthur Bell & Sons Ltd’s blend.

Production:

Over the years, Dufftown has been home to six distilleries, leading to conflicts over water sources. Jock’s Well, the water source in Dufftown, has been a subject of dispute, with Mortlach distillery attempting to divert the spring’s course to their own facility. The Dufftown distillery has undergone multiple expansions, resulting in it becoming one of the most compact distilleries in Scotland. These expansions have also increased its capacity to produce 5.8 million liters of pure alcohol annually. Notably, the distillery boasts a large lauter mashtun, weighing thirteen tonnes, making it one of the largest in the Scotch Whisky industry.

Pot Stills:

Originally an old mill, the building housing the distillery was converted by the Glenlivet-Dufftown Company. However, the lack of custom design has led to overcrowding over the years. Currently, Dufftown has three wash stills with a capacity of 13,100 liters and three spirit stills with a capacity of 15,300 liters. Both the wash and spirit stills feature a distinctive “pear” shape, characterized by a wide spherical lid and a gradually narrowing neck.

Maltings:

Dufftown initially used its own peated malt from 1895 until 1968 when the malting floors were decommissioned. Presently, the distillery sources its malt from one of Diageo’s industrial malting sites.

Warehouse:

The Dufftown distillery boasts eight warehouse buildings, collectively accommodating nearly 100,000 Bourbon and Sherry casks of Malt Whisky.

History:

Dufftown holds the record for the highest concentration of distilleries in the world, housing not only the Dufftown distillery but also Mortlach, Glenfiddich, Balvenie, defunct Convalmore, Glendullan, and Kininvie distilleries. The locals say, Rome was built on seven hills, Dufftown stands on seven stills. Due to its significant production capacity, Dufftown plays a prominent role in the Whisky industry and contributes substantial capital to the British government.

Dufftown was founded in 1895 by the Dufftown-Glenlivet Company, initially known as the “Dufftown-Glenlivet Distillery.” In 1897, Mackenzie & Company acquired the distillery and maintained ownership for the next forty years. During the early 20th century, Arthur Bell and Sons purchased the distillery, introducing Dufftown Single Malt into their blend. In response to growing demand, Bell’s increased the number of stills from two to four in 1974 and added two more in 1979. These expansions positioned Dufftown as one of Scotland’s most efficient distilleries in terms of production.

In 1985, United Distillers (now owned by Diageo), Scotland’s largest Single Malt Whisky provider, acquired the Dufftown distillery. While its reputation as a Single Malt brand took a backseat to its contribution to Bell’s, the introduction of the Singleton of Dufftown brand has sparked renewed interest in the distillery.

Visitor Centre:

Although the distillery is not open to the general public, it is possible to arrange a tour by contacting the distillery in advance.

Visitor information:

Dufftown Distillery
Dufftown
Moray
AB55 4BR
Tel: +44 (0) 1340-822100