Aberlour
Part of Chivas Brothers' portfolio, Aberlour is best known for its cult expression, A'Bunadh.
Miltonduff
Distillery & brand
A very fresh, floral new make character shows Miltonduff to be a charming, light single malt, perfect for adding top notes to the restrained and elegant Ballantine’s blend. Its palate has a succulent texture.
Miltonduff distillery
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Miltonduff was, briefly, part of Allied Distiller’s Caledonian Malts range (alongside Laphroaig, Tormore, Scapa and Glendronach) but other than a limited edition 18-year-old cask strength bottling, no official releases have taken place under Chivas Brothers' ownership. Licensed bottlings are made under the auspices of Gordon & MacPhail. Some Mosstowie (see below) also occasionally surfaces.
In July 2017 Miltonduff was released as a 15-year-old single malt (alongside expressions from Glentauchers and Glenburgie) under the Ballantine’s brand.
Miltonduff History
One wonders what the monks would have made of it. Moonshining was commonplace in the surroundings of Pluscarden Abbey in the smuggling era of the late 18th and early 19th century. Whether any monastic distillation ever took place is unknown – the original monastery fell into ruin in the early 17th century, but was restored in 1948 and is now the only medieval monastery still inhabited by monks. Distillation certainly took place at Milton Farm where the abbey’s old meal mill once stood.
Miltonduff (the suffix comes from Duff family which owned the estate) went legal in 1824 and by the end of the century was one of the largest producers in Scotland, making in excess of one million litres a year and using triple distillation (an unusual technique for Highland/Speyside distilleries).
Its next landmark came in 1936 when it was bought by Canadian distiller Hiram Walker which was beginning its Scottish expansion (Ballantine’s, Dumbarton).
In 1964, a pair of ‘Lomond’ stills was installed, producing a malt which was named Mosstowie. The stills operated until 1981. A significant expansion in 1974 saw capacity increased to more than 5m litres per annum with three pairs of stills now operating. In 2005 it became part of Chivas Brothers.
Timeline
- 1824 A license to distil at Miltonduff is obtained by Andrew Peary and Robert Bain
- 1866 The distillery is purchased by William Stuart
- 1895 Thomas Yool & Co becomes a shareholder
- 1936 Canadian group Hiram Walker buys Miltonduff
- 1964 A pair of Lomond stills are installed and produce the Mosstowie brand of whisky
- 1974 Capacity is increased to over 5m litres in a significant expansion
- 1981 The Lomond stills are replaced by two pot stills
- 1987 Allied Lyons, having bought 50% of Hiram Walker the previous year, purchases the group outright
- 1991 Miltonduff appears in the Caledonian Malts line-up
- 2005 Pernod Ricard (Chivas Brothers) takes over the distillery following its acquisition of Allied Domecq
- 2017 Miltonduff 15-year-old single malt is released under the Ballantine's brand
Miltonduff Facts
-
- Capacity (mlpa) i
- 5.9
-
- Condenser Type i
- Shell and tube. Each still has a sub cooler
-
- Fermentation Time i
- Minimum 48hrs
-
- Grist Weight (t) i
- 8
-
- Heat Source i
- Gas, steam via heat exchanger and thermocompression system
-
- Malt Specification i
- Unpeated
-
- Malt Supplier i
- Simpsons, Bairds
-
- Mash Tun Material i
- Stainless Steel
-
- Mash Tun Type i
- Lauter
-
- New-make Strength i
- 68-69%
-
- Spirit Still Charge (l) i
- 15,000
-
- Spirit Still Shape i
- Onion
-
- Spirit Still Size (l) i
- 18,200
-
- Stills i
- 6 (3 wash, 3 spirit)
-
- Wash Still Charge (l) i
- 12,000
-
- Wash Still Shape i
- Onion
-
- Wash Still Size (l) i
- 22,730
-
- Washback Charge (l) i
- 36,000
-
- Washback Type i
- Stainless steel
-
- Washbacks i
- 16
-
- Water Source i
- The Black Burn
-
- Yeast Type i
- Mauri Liquid
Owners
Parent company
- Pernod Ricard 2005 - present
Current owner
Previous owners
- Allied Domecq 1994 - 2005
- Allied Lyons 1987 - 1994
- Hiram Walker & Sons 1936 - 1987
- William Stuart & Co 1866 - 1936
- Andrew Pearey 1824 - 1866
- Robert Bain 1824 - 1834 (jointly with Andrew Pearey)
Contact
- Address
-
Mitonduff Distillery
Elgin
Moray
IV30 8TQ
United Kingdom - Phone
- +44 1343 554120
- Visitor Opening Hours
- Not open to the public
Map
See also
-
Distillery & brand