Auchroisk
One of Diageo’s ‘nutty-spicy’ sites.
Dallas Dhu
Distillery & brand
The distillery designed by Charles Doig is now little more than a museum.
Dallas Dhu distillery
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
This whisky is rarely seen, but when it does emerge from the shadows it shows a sweet fruited edge, some honey, oiliness and a wisp of peat smoke. Dallas, incidentally, is a hamlet close to Forres.
Dallas Dhu History
Dallas Dhu was the last of the Speyside distilleries to be connected with that great Victorian entrepreneur Alexander Edward [see Aultmore, Craigellachie and Benromach], the site for the plant being on his estate. In 1898, he hired the legendary distillery architect Charles Doig to build the new plant and a year later it was in full production. The year after he had sold it to the blending firm Wright & Greig, whose brand was Roderick Dhu.
It passed into the hands of Benmore Distillers which became part of DCL in 1929. Wright & Greig itself followed suit and its old HQ in Glasgow would in time become the home of DCL’s engineering division.
Like many distilleries, it was silent throughout the 1930s – it also caught on fire in 1939 – and wasn’t operational again until 1947.
It was closed in 1983 and sold to Historical Scotland in 1986 who opened it as a distillery museum.
Timeline
- 1898 Dallas Dhu is built by Alexander Edward
- 1899 The site is sold to Wright & Greig
- 1919 The distillery is bought by J.P.O’Brien
- 1921 Another change of hands sees Benmore Distilleries take control
- 1929 Benmore is bought by DCL
- 1931 Dallas Dhu becomes a part of SMD.
- 1930-36 The distillery falls silent for six years
- 1939 A distillery fire forces Dallas Dhu to close once again
- 1947 Production restarts at the distillery
- 1983 Dallas Dhu is closed for the last time
- 1986 The site is sold to Historic Scotland who run it as a distilling museum
Owners
Current owners
- Historic Scotland 1986 - present (distillery)
- Diageo 1997 - present (brand)
Previous owners
- United Distillers 1986 - 1997 (brand)
- Distillers Company Limited 1929 - 1986
- Benmore Distilleries Ltd 1921 - 1929
- JP O'Brian & Co 1919 - 1921
- Wright & Greig Ltd 1899 - 1919
- Alexander Edward 1898 - 1899
Contact
- Address
-
Dallas Dhu Distillery
Mannachie Road
Forres
Moray
IV36 2RR
United Kingdom
Map
See also
-
Distillery & brand