Population 1,667 (2011 census) Council area Moray Country Scotland Local time Tuesday 6:45 PM | OS grid reference NJ323399 Lieutenancy area Banffshire Sovereign state United Kingdom Dialling code 01340 | |
Weather 5°C, Wind S at 19 km/h, 74% Humidity Points of interest Balvenie Castle, Ben Rinnes, Dufftown Clock Tower | ||
Dufftown (Scottish Gaelic: Baile Bhainidh [ˈpaləˈvanɪʝ]) is a burgh in Moray, Scotland.
Contents
- Map of Dufftown Keith UK
- Episcopal see
- Climate
- Whisky in Dufftown
- Active distilleries
- Former distilleries
- Popular culture
- Notable people
- References
Map of Dufftown, Keith, UK
Dufftown is in the ancient parish of Mortlach (Scottish Gaelic: Mòrthlach). The old Kirkton of Mortlach, with its historic church, is on the southern outskirts of the present town. In the 19th century, James Duff, 4th Earl Fife, established Dufftown as housing for soldiers returning home from the Napoleonic War.
In the Middle Ages, Mortlach (in Latin Murthlacum) was an episcopal see.
Dufftown hosts a highland games event every July which attracts many tourists.
Dufftown's notable buildings include Balvenie Castle, which was partly built with stones from the ruins of nearby Auchindoun Castle. The street plan of Dufftown is mainly four main roads meeting at the clock tower; previously a prison but now a tourist information centre.
Episcopal see
The Diocese of Mortlach was one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The names of four bishops of the see are known:
Today, the Diocese of Mortlach, under its Latin name of Murthlacum, is a titular see of the Catholic Church.
Climate
Dufftown has an oceanic climate typical of Northern Scotland, characterised by relatively mild, damp winters and cool cloudy summers. The area averages 76 air frosts a year. Like much of Europe, Dufftown's climate is insulated somewhat by the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current originating near the gulf of Mexico. This warm ocean current makes Dufftown's climate significantly milder during the winter than expected for its latitude.
Whisky in Dufftown
Dufftown is located on the River Fiddich and is the location of several Scotch whisky distilleries. It produces more malt whisky than any other town in Scotland; in fact, a signpost on the way into Dufftown declares it the "Whisky Capital of the World". The largest and best known of the many surrounding distilleries is the Glenfiddich distillery that distills Glenfiddich single malt Scotch whisky. The Glenfiddich distillery is owned by William Grant & Sons, Dufftown's largest employer. This proliferation puts it on the famed Malt Whisky Trail, which also includes Keith, Glen Grant Distillery, Marypark, and Tomintoul.
The following distilleries have produced whisky in Dufftown.
Active distilleries
Former distilleries
Popular culture
According to the third film in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hogwarts, the main setting of the series, is said to be close to Dufftown in an article of the Daily Prophet.