Benrinnes distillery

Benrinnes distillery stands beside the River Spey in Aberlour, Moray, where whisky has been made since 1826. The site began under Peter McKenzie, then rebuilt after floods by John Innes in 1835. William Smith later renamed it Benrinnes and David Edward took charge before his son Alexander ran it. In 1887 Alfred Barnard recorded two stills of 4910 and 4564 litres. A fire in 1896 led to rebuilding and electrification.

The distillery is known for its unusual partial triple distillation process introduced in 1974. This method used a low wines still fed by feints from wash and spirit stills, while the spirit still received foreshots and hearts. The stills’ necks were cooled by worm tubs, a rare technique today. In 2007 the process reverted to two wash and four spirit stills. Ownership passed from John Dewar & Sons to United Distillers in 1987 and then to Diageo’s United Distillers & Vintners in 1998.

Visitors find a working distillery with worm-tub condensers still in place. The stillroom houses the distinctive low wines still alongside the main wash and spirit stills. Warehouses hold casks maturing the single malt. The River Spey runs close by, providing soft water for mashing. Benrinnes’ fifteen-year-old Flora and Fauna bottling has been released since 1991.