Location Moray, Scotland Water source Burnside Springs Founded 1898 | Status Active Owner Brown-Forman | |
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No. of stills 2 wash stills, 2 spirit stills Capacity 2,800,000 litres (620,000 imp gal; 740,000 US gal) | ||
Whisky introduction benriach distillery
The BenRiach distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery in the Speyside area of Scotland. It is currently owned by Brown-Forman Corporation after being purchased on 1 June 2016 as a subsidiary from the BenRiach Distillery Company Limited, formed by two South African funding partners, Geoff Bell and Wayne Keiswetter, and Scotch whisky expert Billy Walker. In 2008, the company expanded their portfolio with the acquisition of the Glendronach distillery. as well as the Glenglassaugh distillery in March 2013.
Contents
BenRiach Awards
Global Whisky Distiller of the Year, World Whiskies Awards 2015
Distillery of the Year, Malt Advocate Whisky Awards 2007
Best Rare Speyside (BenRiach Authenticus 21 Year Old), World Whisky Awards, Whisky Magazine 2007
Gold Medal (BenRiach 16 year old), International Wines and Spirits Competition 2006
Silver Medals (BenRiach Heart of Speyside, 12 year old, Curiositas and Authenticus), International Wines and Spirits Competition 2006
Best Performing Small Business Award, under 25 employees, Enterprising Scotland Awards 2006
Best International Business Award, Enterprising Scotland Awards 2005
History
The BenRiach Distillery was established by John Duff in 1898, close to the Longmorn Distillery which was also owned by Duff. The distilleries were joined by a private railroad, with a private steam locomotive, the Puggy, to transport coal, barley, peat and barrels between the distilleries. Soon after the railroad was established in 1900 the distillery stopped production in the wake of the bankruptcy of Pattison's whisky, a major Scotch Whisky purchaser. Only BenRiachs maltings remained in active use, producing malt for Longmorn. It didn't produce spirit again until 1965 when it was reopened by Glenlivet Distillers Ltd. In 1978 the distillery changed hands, this time to Seagrams. Seagrams became part of Pernod Ricard in 2001 and the BenRiach distillery began operating for just three months of every year. In 2004 the distillery was acquired by an independent consortium, the BenRiach Distillery Company Limited.
It was with delight, while sworn to secrecy, that I witnessed BenRiach gaining its independence, when a team led by the experienced and infectiously enthusiastic Billy Walker acquired the Distillery. This independence will allow BenRiach to unlock its secrets and bring its fine and surprising malts, officially to the market in their natural state for the first time. There cannot be a single true lover of whisky who will not rejoice because of it.