Tomintoul distillery information
The Tomintoul distillery was founded in 1964 by Glasgow whisky brokers Hay & Macleod Ltd. and W. & S. String (using the name Tomintoul Distillery Ltd.), in the heart of the Glenlivet area in the Speyside whisky region, on the side of the Balnellan Burn near the village from which it borrows its name; the highest village in the Highlands of Scotland. Production started in 1965. Tomintoul in Gaelic means “The hill of the Barn”, and the whole area was once dotted with illicit distillers, using the secluded hills as cover for their moonshining. In 1973, the Scottish & Universal Investment Trust purchased both the Tomintoul as well as the Fettercairn distilleries, and in the same year, they also bought Whyte & Mackay. Not long after the acquisition, the first official single malt bottle was released (until then, the spirits produced at Tomintoul were primarily used for blends) in 1974. In the same year, the amount of stills was doubled from two to four. In 1994, ownership of the distillery was transferred to Whyte & Mackay, who were absorbed by American Brands / Jim Beam (JBB) in 1999. Tomintoul was sold by to Angus Dundee Ltd. (who nowadays also own Glencadam) in 2000. 2002 marked the introduction of a change in branding, starting with a 10 year old, later followed by other expressions (see below).Tomintoul Whiskies
All Tomintoul whisky is matured in ex-Bourbon casks made from American white oak. The current expressions are:- 10 Years Old
- Peaty Tang; made from peated barley
- 12 Year Oldl finished in Oloroso Sherry casks
- 12 Year Old Portwood Cask; finished in portwood casks
- 14 Year Old Speyside Glenlivet Single Malt
- 16 Year Old
- 21 Year Old
- 33 Year Old
- 1976 Vintage Single Malt
Distillery info:
Detail |
Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Tomintoul |
| Region | Speyside |
| Country | Scotland |
| Logo |  |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Water source | Ballantruan spring |
| Malting floor | No |
| Owned by | Angus Dundee Distillers PLC |
| Address | Ballindaloch Banffshire AB37 9AQ Scotland +44 (0)1807 - 59 02 74 |
| Visitor centre | No |
| Website | http://www.tomintoulwhisky.com/ |
| https://twitter.com/TomintoulWhisky | |
| https://www.facebook.com/Tomintoul | |
| Map |
Distillery Setup:
Component |
Capacity |
Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Mash tun | 11.8 tonnes | 1 (Semi-lauter) |
| Washback | 44,000 litres | 8 (Stainless Steel) |
| Wash still | 44,906 litres | 2 |
| Spirit Still | 39,322 litres | 2 |
| Expected yearly output in LPA (Litres of pure alcohol) | 3,300,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Tomintoul means “The hill of the Barn” in Gaelic. The distillery was founded in 1964 by Glasgow whisky brokers Hay & Macleod Ltd and W. & S. Strong, under the name Tomintoul Distillery Ltd, on the side of the Balnellan Burn near the village of Tomintoul, the highest village in the Highlands of Scotland, in the heart of the Glenlivet area of Speyside. Production started in 1965, in an area once dotted with illicit distillers using the secluded hills as cover for moonshining.
In 1973, the Scottish & Universal Investment Trust bought both Tomintoul and Fettercairn, along with Whyte & Mackay that same year.
Until the early 1970s, spirit produced at Tomintoul went mainly into blends. The first official single malt bottle followed in 1974, the same year the number of stills doubled from two to four.
Ownership transferred to Whyte & Mackay in 1994, who were absorbed by American Brands / Jim Beam (JBB) in 1999. Angus Dundee Ltd, which also owns Glencadam, bought Tomintoul in 2000.
In 2002, Tomintoul introduced a change in branding, starting with a 10 Year Old and later followed by the other expressions in the current range.
All Tomintoul whisky is matured in ex-Bourbon casks made from American white oak.
The current range includes a 10 Year Old; Peaty Tang, made from peated barley; a 12 Year Old finished in Oloroso Sherry casks; a 12 Year Old Portwood Cask finished in port wood casks; a 14 Year Old Speyside Glenlivet Single Malt; a 16 Year Old; a 21 Year Old; a 33 Year Old; and a 1976 Vintage Single Malt.
No, Tomintoul does not have a visitor centre.