Blair Athol distillery

Blair Athol distillery stands beside the River Tummel on the southern edge of Pitlochry in Perthshire. It draws its water from the Allt Dour burn and has been making Highland single malt whisky since 1798. The site began as Aldour distillery before closing shortly after opening. John Robertson reopened it in 1825 and new owners followed in quick succession. After a long closure from 1932 it was rebuilt in 1949 by Arthur Bell and Sons. Today it belongs to Diageo and supplies malt for Bell’s whisky. The distillery is worth the journey for its place in Scotch whisky history. It has passed through the hands of many owners, from John Robertson to Alexander Conacher & Co and later Peter Mackenzie. Arthur Bell and Sons saved the site and reopened it in 1949. Guinness took control in 1987 and the merger with Grand Metropolitan created Diageo in 1997. The whisky is still matured in traditional oak casks and released as a twelve-year-old single malt. Visitors find a working distillery with stills that date back to 1949 and two later additions from 1973. The buildings sit close to the river and the Allt Dour burn. Inside, copper pot stills and wooden washbacks stand alongside modern equipment. The site retains its original character despite rebuilding and expansion. A tour shows how malt is mashed, fermented and distilled before cask ageing. The surrounding Perthshire landscape adds to the visit with views of the Tummel valley.