Miltonduff distillery information
The Miltonduff distillery was founded by Andrew Pearey & Robert Bain (using the name Miltonduff-Glenlivet) in 1824 on the grounds of Pluscarden Abbey in the Speyside region, some six miles south-west of Elgin, in “Pluscarden”, an area that once was rumored to have hosted some 50 illicit distilleries. The distillery was established in Milton, once home to the old meal mill of the Abbey. The land was later acquired by the Duff family, hence the name Milton of Duff. In 1866, the distillery was acquired by William Stuart, one of the co-proprietors of the Highland Park distillery). He remained at the helm for 24 years, when he was joined by Thomas Yool & Co. who acquired shares in the distillery in 1890. In the following decade, Miltonduff was extended, achieving a production of over 1,000,000 liters annually; quite an accomplishment for the time. The Pattinson crsis that wrecked the whisky business around the turn of the century also hit Miltonduff hard, causing them to be forced to reduce production. At some point Thomas Yool & Co. took over the distillery altogether. In 1936, Hiram Walker-Gooderman & Worts Ltd. bought the distillery and the lands, having purchased the Ballantines brand just a year earlier using the profits the Canadian blender made due to the US prohibition. Walker was under pressure to expand in Scotland, as their competitor Seagram forced distilleries owned by Distillers COmpany Limited (DCL) to exclusively deliver to him and not Walker, in an attempt to stiffle competition. This meant Walker needed to secure sufficient whisky for his blends. The acquisition of Miltonduff (as well as Glenburgie) helped to full-fill the needs. During the 1960s, the stills were switched to a new heating system, using water from the condensers through heat exchangers in order to heat the wash, and in 1964 a pair of Lomond stills was installed. These were used to produce a whisky that was sold under the name “Mosstowie”. You’d be hard pressed to find it nowadays, though, as the Lomond stills were removed again in 1981 due to demand for Mosstowie being low. In 1986, Allied Distillers purchased a majority share in Hiram Walker & Sons, and the remainder of the shares a year later in 1987. Allied Distiller’s itself was absorbed by Pernod Ricard in 2005, along with the Ballantines brand and the Miltonduff distillery. The site of the distillery used to house a technical research center belonging to Allied Domecq, containing warehouses, engineering facilities and a laboratory. Following the takeover by Pernod Ricard these facilities were moved to the Glen Keith Technical Centre, with the buildings now housing the Chivas’ Brothers northern operations headquarters. The Miultonduff site also became home to a dark grain plant, where the malt left after distillation and the pot ale are turned into cattle feed.Miltonduff Whiskies
Most whisky produced at Miltonduff finds its ways into blends, particularly Ballantines, Teacher’s and Old Smuggler. Some official expressions that were released in the past include:- 12 Years Old
- 15 Years Old (released in 2002)
- Gordon & MacPhail also released a 10 year old expression under license
Distillery info:
Detail |
Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Miltonduff |
| Region | Speyside |
| Country | Scotland |
| Logo |  |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1824 |
| Water source | The Black Burn |
| Malting floor | No |
| Owned by | Chivas Brothers / Pernod Ricard |
| Address | Chivas Bros Miltonduff Distillery Elgin IV30 8TQ United Kingdom +44 (0) 1343 554120 |
| Visitor centre | No |
| Map |
Distillery Setup:
Component |
Capacity |
Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Mash tun | 14.5 tonnes | 1 (Full-Lauter) |
| Washback | 50,000 litres | 16 (Stainless Steel) |
| Wash still | 18,100 litres | 3 |
| Spirit Still | 18,400 litres | 3 |
| Expected yearly output in LPA (Litres of pure alcohol) | 5,400,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Miltonduff was founded in 1824 by Andrew Pearey and Robert Bain under the name Miltonduff-Glenlivet, on the grounds of Pluscarden Abbey in Speyside, about six miles south-west of Elgin. The distillery was built in Milton, once home to the abbey’s old meal mill, in an area once rumoured to have hosted around 50 illicit stills. The land was later acquired by the Duff family, giving the site the name Milton of Duff.
William Stuart, one of the co-proprietors of the Highland Park distillery, acquired Miltonduff in 1866 and remained at the helm for 24 years, until Thomas Yool & Co. acquired shares in the distillery in 1890. Over the following decade Miltonduff was expanded to produce over 1,000,000 litres annually, a notable achievement for the time, though the Pattison crash that wrecked the whisky business around the turn of the century hit the distillery hard, forcing a reduction in production. Thomas Yool & Co. eventually took over the distillery outright.
Hiram Walker-Gooderham & Worts Ltd bought Miltonduff and its lands in 1936, a year after acquiring the Ballantine’s brand using profits made from US Prohibition. Walker was under pressure to expand in Scotland after competitor Seagram forced distilleries owned by the Distillers Company Limited to supply Seagram exclusively, cutting Walker off. Buying Miltonduff, alongside Glenburgie, helped secure enough whisky for Walker’s blends.
In 1964, a pair of Lomond stills was installed at Miltonduff to produce a whisky sold under the name “Mosstowie”. Demand for it proved low, though, and the Lomond stills were removed again in 1981, making Mosstowie a rare find today.
Allied Distillers bought a majority share in Hiram Walker & Sons in 1986, taking the remaining shares the following year. Allied Distillers was itself absorbed by Pernod Ricard in 2005, bringing the Ballantine’s brand and the Miltonduff distillery along with it.
The distillery site once housed a technical research centre belonging to Allied Domecq, with warehouses, engineering facilities and a laboratory. After Pernod Ricard’s takeover, these facilities moved to the Glen Keith Technical Centre, and the original buildings now house Chivas Brothers’ northern operations headquarters. The Miltonduff site also became home to a dark grain plant, turning leftover malt and pot ale from distillation into cattle feed.
Most whisky produced at Miltonduff goes into blends, particularly Ballantine’s, Teacher’s and Old Smuggler. Official single malt releases have included a 12 Year Old and a 15 Year Old released in 2002, alongside a 10 Year Old released under license by Gordon & MacPhail.
No, Miltonduff does not have a visitor centre.