Scotland: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making and tasting

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The distilleries

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One of the great paradoxes of single malt is that it is often that refined that people could think it has been produced with love by some old experienced craftsman. But the reality is different. marketing of single malt as such represents a very small part of the whisky production. Most of the malt whisky is produced for blends When whisky was merely distributed within Scotland, the distilleries sold most of their production as single malt. Since massive export of whisky began with the invention of the blended whisky, most of the distilleries just produce for blenders, en put only 2 or 3% of their production on the market as single malt.

Whisky in Scotland has become big industry. There is no traditional malt any more (with some exceptions like Bladnoch). To give an idea of the scale, a average distillery like Dalwhinnie or Cardhu produce about 1.500.000 litres of whisky a year, and other ones, often unknown by the general public, like Dailuaine, Glen Grant or Glen Keith produce respectively 2.100.000, 5.200.000 and 3.800 000 litres a year. In front of those impressing figures, just one question:

Who owns the distilleries?  

The business world is changing rapidly. The world of whisky does not escape to this rule. If you notice errors in the table of the owners, please let me know, so I can correct the data on this site.

 
Owner Status Name distillery

Angus Dundee Distillers

  Active Glencadam
Tomintoul

The BenRiach Distillery Company Ltd

  
  Active Benriach
Glendronach

Bruichladdich Distillery Company Ltd

  Active Bruichladdich

Burn Stewart Distillers

  Active Bunnahabhain
Deanston
Tobermory

Campari
  Active Glen Grant

The Edrington Group

  Active Glenrothes
Glenturret
Highland Park
The Macallan
Tamdhu
Grain North British (joint venture with Diageo)

Fortune Brands (2006: Beam Global Spirits & Wine )

  Active Ardmore
Laphroaig

Glenmorangie Plc (LVMH)

  Active Ardbeg
Glenmorangie

Gordon & MacPhail

  Active Benromach

Historic Scotland

  Museum Dallas Dhu

Ian Mc Leod

  Active Glengoyne

Inver House Distillers Ltd

  Active Balmenach
Balblair
Knockdhu
Pulteney
Speyburn

Isle of Arran Distillers Co. Plc.

  New Arran

J. & G. Grant

  Active Glenfarclas

J. and A. Mitchell

  Active Springbank

John Dewar's and Sons (Bacardi)

  Active Aberfeldy
Brackla
Craigellachie
Macduff

Loch Lomond Distillery Co Ltd

  Active Loch Lomond
Closed Littlemill
Sporadic production Glen Scotia

La Martiniquaise
  Active Glen Moray

Morrison Bowmore Distillers Ltd (Suntory)

  Active Auchentoshan
Bowmore
Glen Garioch

Nikka Whisky Distilling Company Ltd

  Active Ben Nevis

Pernod Ricard

  Active Aberlour
Allt-A-Bhainne
Braeval (Braes of Glenlivet)
Glenallachie
Glenburgie
Glen Keith
Glenlivet
Glentauchers
Longmorn
Miltonduff
Scapa
Strathclyde
Strathisla
Tormore
Mothballed Imperial
Closed Caperdonich
Dumbarton
Destroyed Lochside

Raymond Armstrong

  Active Bladnoch

Scaent Group Ltd.

  
  Active Glenglassaugh

Signatory Vintage

  Active Edradour

Speyside Distillery Co. Ltd

  Active Speyside

Takara, Shuzo and Okura & Co Ltd

  Active Tomatin

Tullibardine Ltd

 
  Active Tullibardine

United Distillers & Vintners (Diageo)

  Active Auchroisk/The Singleton
Benrinnes
Blair Athol
Caol Ila
Cardhu
Clynelish
Cragganmore
Dailuaine
Dalwhinnie
Dufftown
Glen Elgin
Glen Ord
Glen Spey
Glendullan
Glenkinchie
Glenlossie
Inchgower
Knockando
Lagavulin
Linkwood
Lochnagar
Mortlach
Oban
Strathmill
Talisker
Teaninich
Destroyed Banff
Glen Albyn
Glenesk
Glenlochy
Glenury Royal
Glen Mhor
Millburn
North Port
Pittyvaich
St Magdalene
Mothballed Mannochmore
Closed Brora
Coleburn
Port Ellen
Rosebank
Grain whisky Cameronbridge
North British (joint venture with Edrington)
North of Scotland (closed)
Port Dundas

Whitbread (Long John International

(when the distillery has been destroyed)
  Destroyed Glenugie

Whyte and Mackay

  Active Dalmore
Fettercairn
Jura
Mothballed Tamnavulin
Single grain Invergordon

William Grant & Sons

  Active Glenfiddich
The Balvenie
Girvan
Closed Convalmore
Ladyburn

Anthony Wills

 
  Active Kilchoman
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