Tomintoul distillery

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Starting life as a small site with two stills, the number has since doubled. Its style also appears to have shifted on at least two occasions from the overtly fruity manifestations of its earliest guise to a more cereal-accented make in recent years. A peated variant, bottled as Old Ballantruan, is also now part of the portfolio. Its growing presence in the malt category will hopefully convince more people of its undoubted quality.

Map
  • Region
    Speyside
  • Production type
    Single malt
  • Distillery Status
    Working
  • Brands produced here
    Old Ballantruan

Tomintoul History

The distillery was built in 1965 by a pair of whisky-broking firms, Hay & MacLeod and W. & S. Strong, before being folded into the Whyte & Mackay stable in 1973. It remained part of the blending firm until 2000 when it was purchased by Angus Dundee where it performs dual functions as provider of mature spirit for contract blends and under its own guise. 

Timeline

  • 1965 The distillery is built by Hay & MacLeod and W&S Strong
  • 1973 Scottish & Universal Investment Trust buys both Tomtintoul and Whyte & Mackay, merging the former in with the latter
  • 1974 Tomintoul's capacity is extended from two to four stills
  • 1978 Scottish & Universal Investment Trust is bought by Lonhro
  • 1989 Whyte & Mackay is sold to Brent Walker
  • 1990 American Brands purchases Whyte & Mackay
  • 2000 Angus Dundee acquires Tomintoul
  • 2002 Tomintoul 10 Year Old is released
  • 2005 A peated version named Old Ballantruan is launched

Tomintoul Facts

  • Capacity (mlpa) i
    3.4
  • Condenser Type i
    3 multipass and 1 shell and tube
  • Fermentation Time i
    54hrs
  • Filling Strength i
    68.5%
  • Grist Weight (t) i
    11.6
  • Heat Source i
    Steam kettles
  • Malt Specification i
    No peat for normal spirit production. Phenol for peated malt at 55ppm
  • Malt Supplier i
    Various
  • Mash Tun Type i
    Semi Lauter
  • New-make Strength i
    68.5%
  • Spirit Still Charge (l) i
    11,500
  • Spirit Still Shape i
    Both spirit stills have boil balls
  • Stills i
    4 (2 wash, 2 spirit)
  • Warehousing i
    Racked and palletised
  • Wash Still Charge (l) i
    15,000
  • Wash Still Shape i
    Both wash stills have boil balls
  • Washback Charge (l) i
    59,500
  • Washback Type i
    Stainless steel
  • Washbacks i
    6
  • Water Source i
    Ballantruan Spring
  • Yeast Type i
    Distiller's yeast

Owners

Parent company

Current owner

Previous owners

Contact

Address
Tomintoul Distillery
Ballindalloch
Moray
AB37 9AQ
United Kingdom
Phone
+44 1807 590274
Visitor Opening Hours
Not open to the public

Map

See also

  • Ballindalloch Distillery LLP Ballindalloch Distillery LLP Ballindalloch Distillery LLP Distiller

    Ballindalloch Distillery LLP

    Company established to oversee the build and operation of Ballindalloch distillery in Banffshire.

  • Ballindalloch Ballindalloch Ballindalloch Distillery

    Ballindalloch

    Hailed as Scotland’s first single estate distillery, and the first within a castle’s grounds.

  • Cragganmore Cragganmore Cragganmore Distillery & brand

    Cragganmore

    Cragganmore is noted for its complexity.

  • Glenfarclas Glenfarclas Glenfarclas Distillery & brand

    Glenfarclas

    One of the oldest distilleries in Speyside and one that still uses direct fire to heat its stills.

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