Aberlour
Part of Chivas Brothers' portfolio, Aberlour is best known for its cult expression, A'Bunadh.
Tormore
Distillery & brand
Situated on the side of the A96 overlooking the river Spey, Tormore is unmissable. If ever there was a statement distillery this is it.
Tormore distillery
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Two crescents of whitewashed houses (which formerly housed the distillery workforce) sit on either side of a grand, palatial building which has been variously described as looking like a Baltic hydropathic hotel and a power station.
This was another distillery which was built to capitalise on whisky’s growth in the late 1950s and early 60s. Since its opening, the number of stills has doubled from four to eight. All have purifiers attached which helps with lightening the spirit which also has a notably firm edge to it when mature.
Although it began to be bottled as a single malt soon after it became part of the Chivas Brothers portfolio, it has never received significant backing, although two bottlings specifically for the French market in 2014 suggest that this may change.
Tormore History
Construction began in 1959 (Tormore began to distil in 1961) to the design of Sir Albert Richardson, then president of the Royal Academy. At that time Tormore was part of Long John Distillers and its make was used mostly in the firm’s eponymous blends that were major sellers in North America. It is now one of the malts used in Ballantine’s, an association which dates back to when the Long John stable was bought by Allied Distillers in 1989. Tormore (and Ballantine’s) is now part of Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard).
Timeline
- 1959 Schenley International, owner of Long John, begins construction of Tormore distillery
- 1961 Distillation begins at Tormore
- 1972 Tormore's stills are extended from four to eight
- 1975 Long John and its distilleries are sold to brewer Whitbread
- 1989 Allied Distillers (later Allied Domecq) purchases the spirits division of Whitbread, including Tormore
- 2004 Tormore 12 Year Old is released
- 2005 Pernod Ricard (Chivas Brothers) takes over the distillery following its acquisition of Allied Domecq
- 2014 Tormore completes installation of shared gas pipe with The Glenlivet, Cragganmore and Tomintoul
- 2014 In the same year, Tormore 12 Year Old is replaced by 14- and 16-year-old bottlings
Tormore Facts
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- Capacity (mlpa) i
- 5
-
- Condenser Type i
- Wash - heat recovery condensers and sub coolers. Spirit - condensers
-
- Fermentation Time i
- 52hrs
-
- Filling Strength i
- 63.5%
-
- Grist Weight (t) i
- 10.42
-
- Heat Source i
- Wash - external steam heaters with thermo compressors. Spirit - internal steam coils
-
- Malt Specification i
- Unpeated
-
- Malt Supplier i
- Various: Propino, Optic, Concerto and Oxbridge
-
- Mash Tun Type i
- Full Lauter
-
- New-make Strength i
- 67-70%
-
- Spirit Still Charge (l) i
- 8,000
-
- Spirit Still Shape i
- Traditional pot coal fired shape, into an Ogee and flanged head with purifier
-
- Stills i
- 8 (4 wash, 4 spirit)
-
- Wash Still Charge (l) i
- 12,125
-
- Wash Still Shape i
- Traditional pot coal fired shape, into an Ogee and flanged head with purifier
-
- Washback Size (l) i
- 48,500
-
- Washback Type i
- Stainless steel
-
- Washbacks i
- 11
-
- Water Source i
- The Achvochkie Burn
-
- Wort Clarity i
- Clear
-
- Yeast Type i
- Mauri Cream
Owners
Parent company
- Pernod Ricard 2005 - present
Current owner
Previous owners
- Allied Domecq 1994 - 2005
- Allied Lyons 1989 - 1994
- Whitbread & Co 1975 - 1989
- Schenley Industries 1959 - 1975
Contact
- Address
-
Tormore Distillery
Richardson Road
Advie
Grantown-on-Spey
Moray
PH26 3LR
United Kingdom - Phone
- +44 1807 510244
- Visitor Opening Hours
- Not open to the public
Map
See also
-
Distillery & brand