Strathmill distillery

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

The distillery’s main production quirk comes in the form of a purifier pipe running from the lyne arm into the body of the spirit stills.

Like Glenlossie and Glen Spey, this adds a lightly oily character to the new make, here picked up almost as olive oil which mixes well with the lightly fruity/grassy notes. 

Map
  • Region
    Speyside
  • Production type
    Single malt
  • Distillery Status
    Working

Strathmill History

Thanks to the River Isla, Keith has a long history of milling, both for meal and weaving (the town still has a kilt museum). Two of those old mill sites have since been converted to distilleries, Glen Keith and Strathmill.

Built in 1892, it was originally called Glenisla (with -Glenlivet suffixed). Its original owners sold it in 1895 to W&A Gilbey which was by then building its holdings in Scotch [see Glen Spey, Knockando]. As Gilbey moved through various incarnations so Strathmill became an integral part of the J&B family. 

Its only official release is as part of the Flora & Fauna range.

Timeline

  • 1892 The distillery is founded as Glenisla-Glenlivet and begins its first production run
  • 1895 English gin company, W&A Gilbey, purchases the distillery for £9,500 and renames it Strathmill
  • 1962 W&A Gilbey merges with United Wine Traders to form International Distillers and Vintners (IDV)
  • 1968 Strathmill's stills are doubled to four and purifiers are installed
  • 1972 Watney Mann purchases IDV, which itself is acquired by Grand Metropolitan in the same year
  • 1993 The first single malt bottling of Strathmill since 1909 appears as an Oddbins release
  • 1997 Grand Metropolitan merges with Guinness to form Diageo
  • 2001 The first official bottling of Strathmill appears in the Flora & Fauna series as a 12-year-old
  • 2014 A 25-year-old is released as part of Diageo's Special Releases

Strathmill Facts

  • Condenser Type i
    Shell and tube
  • Fermentation Time i
    Minimum 60hrs
  • Filling Strength i
    63.5%
  • Grist Weight (t) i
    9.1
  • Heat Source i
    Steam
  • Malt Specification i
    Non peated
  • Malt Supplier i
    Mainly in house
  • Mash Tun Type i
    Lauter
  • New-make Phenol Level i
    Non peaty
  • New-make Strength i
    72%
  • Spirit Still Charge (l) i
    6,000
  • Spirit Still Shape i
    Ball
  • Stills i
    4
  • Wash Still Charge (l) i
    10,700
  • Wash Still Shape i
    Ball
  • Washback Type i
    Steel
  • Washbacks i
    6
  • Water Source i
    Spring within distillery
  • Wort Clarity i
    Clear
  • Yeast Type i
    Pressed

Owners

Current owner

Previous owners

Contact

Address
Strathmill Distillery
Keith
Moray
AB55 5DQ
United Kingdom
Phone
+44 1542 883000
Visitor Opening Hours
Not open to the public

Map

See also

  • Auchroisk Auchroisk Auchroisk Distillery & brand

    Auchroisk

    One of Diageo’s ‘nutty-spicy’ sites.

  • Benrinnes Benrinnes Benrinnes Distillery & brand

    Benrinnes

    A highly individual Speyside whisky.

  • Blair Athol Blair Athol Blair Athol Distillery & brand

    Blair Athol

    The home of Bell's blended whisky.

  • Caol Ila Caol Ila Caol Ila Distillery & brand

    Caol Ila

    Islay distillery belonging to Diageo.

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