Allt-A-Bhainne distillery information
Allt-A-Bhainne was built in 1975 by Chivas Brothers Ltd, at the time a subsidiary of Canadian The Seagram Company Ltd, in order to ensure sufficient amounts of whisky to be used in their blends (Chivas Regal). The cost to put up the distillery was 2.7 million (British) pounds. It’s located in the southern part of Speyside, on the slopes of Ben Rinnes, north of the B9009, slightly south-west of the town of Dufftown. The first distillation took place on August 26th 1975. Like its sister distillery Braeval, the distillery was built as a modern building, with a contemporary architecture. To at least give it the appearance of a traditional distillery, its roof sports 4 pagoda-like vents. The distillery was designed to be ran by a single person. In 1989, the distillery was expanded from two to four stills, doubling the production capacity. In 2002, Pernod Ricard, who acquired Seagram around the year 2000. Alt-A-Bhainne was mothballd in October 2002, and remained closed until late May 2005, when Pernod Ricard brought it back to life following a strategic change in course which required access to as much whisky as they could produce. The name “Alt-A-Bhainne” translates roughly into “Burn of milk”.Allt-A-Bhainne whisky
Whisky distilled at Allt-A-Bhainne is not laid to rest in casks, but instead is filled into large tanker trucks and then transported to Keith. There have been no official bottlings of Allt-A-Bhainne, though a few independents have found their way to the market.Distillery info:
Detail |
Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Allt-a-Bhainne |
| Region | Speyside |
| Country | Scotland |
| Logo |  |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Water source | Springs on Benrinnes |
| Malting floor | No |
| Owned by | Pernod Ricard |
| Address | Glenrinnes Dufftown Banffshire AB55 4DB Scotland +44 (0) 1542 - 783200 |
| Visitor centre | No |
| Map |
Distillery Setup:
Component |
Capacity |
Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Mash tun | 8.4 tonnes | 1 (Stainless Steel, traditional) |
| Washback | 44,000 litres | 8 (Stainless Steel) |
| Wash still | 22,000 litres | 2 |
| Spirit Still | 22,000 litres | 2 |
| Expected yearly output in LPA (Litres of pure alcohol) | 4,000,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Allt-a-Bhainne translates roughly to “Burn of milk”.
Allt-a-Bhainne was built in 1975 by Chivas Brothers Ltd, then a subsidiary of the Canadian Seagram Company Ltd, to secure enough whisky for their Chivas Regal blend. The distillery cost 2.7 million British pounds to build and sits in the southern part of Speyside, on the slopes of Ben Rinnes, north of the B9009 and slightly south-west of Dufftown. The first distillation took place on 26 August 1975.
Like its sister distillery Braeval, Allt-a-Bhainne was built with contemporary architecture rather than a traditional layout. Four pagoda-like vents were added to its roof purely to give it the appearance of a traditional distillery. It was also designed to be run by a single person.
Yes. Pernod Ricard, which acquired Seagram around 2000, mothballed Allt-a-Bhainne in October 2002. It stayed closed until late May 2005, when Pernod Ricard reopened it following a strategic shift that required access to as much whisky as they could produce. Production capacity had already been doubled in 1989, when the distillery was expanded from two to four stills.
No official bottlings of Allt-a-Bhainne exist. Whisky distilled here isn’t matured in casks on site at all, but instead filled into tanker trucks and transported to Keith. A few independent bottlers have released their own Allt-a-Bhainne expressions, though.
No, Allt-a-Bhainne does not have a visitor centre.