Tomintoul distillery

Tomintoul distillery stands in the Speyside region of Scotland, near the village of Kirkmichael. It sits between Ballindalloch and Tomintoul, close to the River Avon. The site was chosen for its clean water from the Ballantruan source. Founded in 1964, it began with one wash still and one spirit still. The distillery expanded in 1974 when two extra stills were added. Today it produces a wide range of single malts, including peated and vintage expressions. The distillery is owned by Angus Dundee Distillers, which also runs Glencadam. In 2009 it entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s largest whisky bottle, holding 105.3 litres of 14-year-old Tomintoul. The 33-year-old single malt won Best Speyside Whisky in the 2010 Whiskymag World Whiskies Awards. The distillery’s peated malt, Ballantruan, and its vatting Peaty Tang are also well known. Production totals 3.3 million litres of pure alcohol each year. Visitors find a working distillery with two wash and two spirit stills, all steam heated. Six stainless steel washbacks stand in the production area. Cooling water comes from two nearby ponds. The site includes the original buildings from 1964 and later additions. A tasting room offers samples of the range, from the 10-year-old to rare vintages. The surroundings are quiet, with views over the gentle Speyside landscape.