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Benromach Distillery | |
General |
Pronunciation | ben’romach |
Translation | Shaggy Mountain |
Region | Highlands / Speyside |
Distiller | Gordon & MacPhail |
Owner | Gordon & MacPhail |
Address | Invererne Road Forres Morayshire IV36 3EB Scotland |
Telephone | +44 (0)1309 - 67 59 68 |
LatLong | 57° 36’ 47.6” N 03° 37’ 14.0” W |
Altitude | 7 m |
Grid Reference | NJ032592 |
Website | www.benromach.com www.gordonandmacphail.com |
info@gordonandmacphail.com | |
Open to public | January : closed February - April : mo - fr 10:00 - 16:00 May : mo - sa 09:30 - 17:00 June - August : mo - sa 09:30 - 17:00, su 12:00 - 16:00 September : mo - sa 09:30 - 17:00 October - December : mo - fr 10:00 - 16:00 Christmas and New Year closed Last admission 1 hour before closing time Admission chargedSource : Scotland’s Malt Whisky Trail 2005 leaflet |
Remarks | Believed to be the first distillery to install direct oil-firing under the stills |
History |
1898 |
Built by the Benromach Distillery Co., partners Duncan McCallum of Glen Nevis Distillery, Campbeltown, and F.W. Brickman, spirit dealer from Leith |
1900 |
Opened but closed at once |
1907-10 |
Operated at least from 1907-10 as Forres, proprietor Duncan McCallum |
>WWI |
Revived after World War I by Benromach Distillery Ltd. |
1931-36 |
Silent |
1938 |
Purchased by Associated Scottish Distilleries Ltd. (ASD), subsidiary of Train & McIntyre Ltd., itself owned by National Distillers of America |
1953 |
Train & McIntyre Ltd. purchased by the Distillers Company Ltd. (DCL) and Benromach transferred to Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd. (SMD) |
1966 |
Rebuilt |
1974 |
Rebuilt. Two stills |
.... |
Licensed to J. & W. Hardie Ltd., South Queensferry, West Lothian |
1983 |
Closed while owned by United Distillers (UD) |
1992 |
Acquired by Gordon & MacPhail (1993 mentioned as well) |
1998-Oct |
Reopened by HRH Prince Charles The Prince of Wales |
1999 |
Malt Whisky Centre (formerly the Drier House) opened |
Technical Specifications |
General | Water Source | for production from the Chapelton Springs and piped to the distillery, for cooling from Sanquhar Loch |
Annual Output | 150,000 - 250,000 litres of alcohol (2004) | |
Finished Spirit (phenols) | ||
Blending Roles | a part is used in own blends |
|
Malt | Malt Source | Moray Firth Maltings and others |
Malt Type | Chariot (mainly), Golden Promise and Optic | |
Malt Specification (phenols) | ||
Own Malting Floor | no | |
Malt Storage | ||
Mill | Robert Boby, 1938, installed 1998 | |
Grist Storage | 2 tonnes | |
Mashing | Mash Tun | 1 made of stainless steel, semi-Lauter |
Mash Size | 1.5 tonnes | |
First Water | 3,750 litres | |
Second Water | 3,750 litres | |
Third Water | ||
Fourth Water | n/a | |
Fermentation | Washbacks | 4 made of Siberian Larch with a capacity of 11,000 litres each |
Washback Charge | ||
Yeast | brewers and distillers yeast | |
Amount of Yeast | ||
Length of Fermentation | 3 days (short) 5 days (long) |
|
Initial Fermentation Temp. | ||
Strength of Wash | ||
Distillation | Wash Stills | 1, 7,500 litres, steamheated with 10 plates |
Wash Still Built | ||
Wash Still Charge | ||
Heat Source | ||
Wash Still Height | ||
Lyne Arm | ||
Low Wines Run | ||
Low Wines Collection Range | ||
Spirit Stills | 1, traditional with a reflux ball, 5,000 litres, steamheated with 10 plates |
|
Spirit Still Built | ||
Spirit Still Charge | ||
Strength of Spirit Still Charge | 20-23% abv | |
Heat Source | ||
Spirit Still Height | ||
Lyne Arm | ||
Coolers | condensers | |
Foreshot Run | ||
Spirit Run | ||
Feints Run | ||
Spirit Cut | ||
Distilling Strength | ||
Storage | Storage Strength | |
Average Spirit Yield | ||
Disposal of Pot Ale/Spent Lees | ||
Type of Casks | mainly sherry, but also bourbon and refills | |
Warehouses | dunnage | |
Vatting and Bottling Location |