Banff

Banff History

Banff could be considered Scotland’s most onomatopoeic distillery. Its entire history was littered with times when it went ‘banff!” and erupted into flames.

The original distillery was built in the Royal Burgh in 1824 by one Major James McKilligan before passing into the hands of the Simpson family. In 1863, James Simpson Jr. closed it down and resumed distilling at a new site at Inverboyndie, closer to the railway line.

Then the jinx started. In 1877, the distillery buildings were destroyed in a blaze. Undeterred, the Simpsons had rebuilt the plant and started production within six months. The family remained at the helm until 1932, by which time the economic downturn and subsequent drop in demand for whisky forced the firm into liquidation. That year it was bought by SMD (the malt distilling arm of DCL) but remained closed from then until after World War Two.

Its bad luck continued when, on the night of 16 August 1941, the distillery was strafed and bombed by the Luftwaffe. A warehouse exploded, sending casks flying into the air and a river of whisky flooding out over the fields and into the river. There was considerable devastation and tales of drunken cows that were incapable of being milked the next day.

Production resumed post war, but the jinx struck again in October 1959 when during the silent season there was an explosion in the still house which destroyed the spirit still and much of the distillery – amazingly no-one was hurt.

Banff started up yet again and ran until 1983 when the distillery buildings and warehouses began to be demolished.  Just before the final warehouse was due to be knocked down, it caught on fire. It seems like the most appropriate manner for Scotland’s unluckiest distillery to leave the scene.