THE SPEYSIDE also see DRUMGUISH, GLENTROMIE, SPEY
Drumguish, Inverness-shire. Speyside Distillery Co, Ltd, Drumguish en Glasgow.
Drumguish Distillery Co, Ltd.
In 1955 werd door George Christie, een blender van naam de Speyside Distillery
& Bonding Company opgericht.
Hij bracht een blend uit met de naam Speyside in de leeftijden
8, 12, 15, 17 en 21 jaar oud.
Vervolgens een vatted malt Glentromie en wat later een single malt whisky
Glentromie, die wordt betrokken van Tomatin.
In 1956 koopt hij Old Milton Estate, een landgoed bij Kingussie,
Op dit landgoed ligt het dorpje Drumguish, een graanmolen, gedreven door
waterkracht uit 1700, die nog tot 1949 dienst deed, en nu het kantoor is van
de distilleerderij, én een gebouw, gebouwd volgens de 'dry stone dyking'
manier door één man, Alex Fairlie, in twintig jaar werd gebouwd.
Het gebouw werd ingericht als distilleerderij en op 12 December 1990 komt
de eerste spirit uit de twee met stoom verhitte ketels.
Men heeft geen lagerkapaciteit, de spirit wordt per tankauto vervoerd
naar lager-pakhuizen in Glasgow.
De whisky rijpt op bourbon- en sherryvaten.
De kapaciteit is ongeveer 500.000 liter per jaar.
Het water, dat ook de graanmolen aandreef, komt van de rivier Tromie,
en wordt gebruikt voor zowel produktie als koeling.
De gebruikte gerst is Chariot.
Het water komt van de rivier de Tromie.
De Mah tun is 4 ton.
Er staan vier Wash backs van elk 23.000 liter.
De Wash stills is 11000 liter, de Spirit still 7000 liter en worden
indirect met stoom verhit.
De stills zijn afkomstig van de gesloten Lochside distilleerderij.
Men verkocht intussen ook een hele serie blended whiskies om de
geldstroom op gang te houden: Dew of the Western Isles, King Scotch,
McGavins, Old Monarch, Glamis Castle, Murdoch's Perfection.
Scotch Guard, The Strathmore, Scottish Prince, Thistle Dhu,
de vatted malt Glenwood en een whiskylikeur The Great Glen Celtic.
Samen met de firma Alexander Muir wordt nog King's Crest verkocht
en ook wordt samen met Alexander Muir onder de naam Scott's Selection'
een serie single malt whiskies op vatsterkte uitgebracht.
Najaar 2000 wordt The Speyside Distillery, samen met de bottel- en
blendingfabriek te Glasgow overgenomen door een groep van privé
investeerders onder de leiding van Sir James Aykroyd, de directeur
van Alexander Muir & Son Ltd, een handels- en marketingbedrijf.
Ricky, de zoon van de stichter George Christie blijft bij de firma in
dienst als hoofd van de export afdeling.
Het water komt van de river de Tromie.
De Mah tun is 4 ton.
Er staan vier Wash backs van elk 23.000 liter.
De Wash stills is 11000 liter, de Spirit still 7000 liter en worden indirect met stoom verhit.
De jonge whisky werd uitgebracht met de naam Drumguish.
Toen de whisky acht jaar oud was, Juni 2000 werd The Speyside uitgebracht.
De oude Speyside distilleerderij
was gesticht in 1895 door Sir George Macpherson Grant, landeigenaar te Ballindalloch om te profiteren van de whiskyboom die er in die jaren
heerste.
George Grant, 24 jaar oud was in 1875 distilleerderijmanager geworden
van Glen Grant maar wegens gezondheids redenen trok hij zich terug in
1893, maar ging toch in op de uitnodiging om manager van Speyside te worden.
De bouwkosten bedroegen E 20.000 en het was een heel goed en modern
ingerichte distilleerderij , gebouwd met de beste materialen, rechtstreeks
aangesloten op de spoorlijn Perth - Inverness en Speyside bezat zowel
telefoon- als een aansluiting op het electriciteitsnet.
Kort nadat de Speyside was opgestart, trok George Grant zich terug, kocht
een winkel in kruidenierswaren en stierf negen maanden later.
Er is niet bekend wat, maar er ging van alles mis in de nieuwe distilleerderij
en ondanks adviezen van Charles Doig, de architekt die zoveel distilleerderijen
heeft ontworpen werden de problemen niet opgelost.
Het distilleren werd gestopt tussen 1905 en 1910, de gebouwen verkocht voor
E 750 en wat later gesloopt.
Van de distilleerderij rest nog één huis. De maatschappij hield in 1911 op te bestaan.
De twee kleine ketels van Speyside Distillery zijn afkomstig van de gesloten Lochside
Distillery waarvan aan de bovenkant een stuk was afgezaagd omdat ze te groot waren
voor het gebouw
Ricky Christie, a well known whisky industrie veteran has
spent some 40 years in and around the spirit business.
Srating at Auchentoshan in the 1970's then join his father
George's distillery company The Speyside Distillery.
Ten years ago Ricky Christie launched his own vodka called
Valt, a single malt, small batch vodka, 5 later Gilt a Scottish
Gin using the finest botanicals and malted barley
Unique is the twist on the maturation of 6 months in Prunelle
casks, that gives the whisky a wonderfully fruity bouqquet
with a sweet and luscious palate with hints of vanilla and prunes.
CÚ DHUB
The name Cú Dhub refers to the legend of the Wife of Laggan who could transform herself into the Witch of Laggan to roam the Forest of Gaick near Kingussie and kill unsuspecting victims. She met her demise when she was set upon by two black dogs who sacrificed themselves to save their master’s life.
Cú Dhub (supposedly meaning ‘black dog’ in Gaelic), a NAS single malt from Speyside distillery with a distinctly black colour, was inspired by the legendary Loch Dhu bottling from Mannochmore distillery in the mid-1990s. Unlike its muse, which drew its dark colour from a 10-year maturation in deeply-charred oak casks, Cú Dhub’s hue is drawn from an excessive use of spirit caramel, offering softer notes of vanilla, liquorice and tobacco.
CÚ DHUB
Cú Dhub was created by Speyside distillers in 2008 exclusively for Danish spirits distributor Mac Y. While the brand continues to enjoy a strong Scandinavian following, Speyside Distillers followed up Cú Dhub with its own dark malt, Beinn Dubh, in 2013.
HARVEY'S OF EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL
Harvey’s of Edinburgh International is headed by John Harvey McDonough, who focuses on the Taiwan market, where more than one million bottles of Spey single malt are sold each year, Spey whisky has been sourced from Speyside distillery, near Kingussie, since McDonough launched the brand some 16 years ago, and since 2012 Harvey’s has owned the distillery, guaranteeing future supplies of spirit.
It was acquired in partnership with major Taiwanese food company Vedan, which has strong trading links with China and Vietnam, providing lucrative new opportunities for Spey. As well as enjoying strong sales in Taiwan, the Spey brand sells in 22 countries including Russia, Spain and the Middle East.
Harvey McDonough’s family on his mother’s side has a long history in the Scotch whisky industry, dating back to John and Robert Harvey in the 1770s. When Lord Byron was married at Seaham Hall in County Durham in 1815 he presented his friends with a cask of Harvey’s Spey Whisky to celebrate his wedding, even sending a cask to King George III.
During the 1920s and ’30s Harvey McDonough’s grandfather, Alec Harvey, used the cellars of Seaham Hall to store whisky destined for export to Canada and ultimately into Prohibition-era USA.
Harvey MacDonough inherited his grandfather’s passion for whisky, and after working with Grand Metropolitan for 15 years he spent a further three years in Taiwan with International Distillers and Vintners (IDV), before resurrecting his grandfather’s company in 1996.
DISTILLERIES & BRANDS
Beinn Dubh
SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Black Burn
SCOTCH WHISKY
Glamis Castle
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
Spey
SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Speyside
SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
ASSOCIATED COMPANIES
Speyside Bonding Company
Speyside Distillers Company
Speyside Distillery Company
1958
George Christie buys a piece of land
at Drumguish near Kingussie
1957
George Christie starts a grain distillery
near Alloa
1962
George Christie also founder of the
Speyside Distillery Group, commisions
the drystone dyker Alex Fairlie to
build a distillery in Drumguish
1986
Scowis assumes ownership
1987
The distillery is completed
1990
The distillery is in December on stream
1993
The first single malt whisky 3 years old
Drumguish is launched
1999
Speyside 8 year old is released
2000
Speyside Distillers Group is sold to a
group of private investors, including
Ricky Christie son of George Christie,
Ian Jerman, Sir James Ackroyd
2001
Speyside 10 years old is launched
2012
Speyside Distillers Group is sold to
Harvey's of Edinburgh
2014
A new range Spey is launched NA,
12 and 18 years old
2015
The range is revamped, Tenne, 12 years
old and 18 years old
2016
Byron's Choice - The Marriage and Spey
Cask 27 are launched
2017
Trutina and Fumare are released
2019
CS versions of Tenne, Trutina and Fumare
are launched
2020
Capacity: 600,00o Ltrs
Output: 600.000 Ltrs
A 19 year old Bourbon/Port, a Peated 12 years old
and a 12 year old Port cask are released
Speyside Distillery release new limited edition expression celebrating the return of the iconic Flying Scotsman
Speyside Distillery has produced a brand new special edition whisky to mark the return of the iconic Flying Scotsman steam locomotive to the National Railway Museum following a major restoration.
By: Scotsman Food and Drink Staff
Published: February 25, 2016
The commemorative bottle of the distillery’s Beinn Dubh ruby black whisky has been produced under licence for the museum, which welcomes back its most famous – and best loved - exhibit today (Thursday, February 25) after a decade-long absence.
Speyside Distillery, which is based at the foot of the Cairngorm mountain range in the Scottish Highlands, was selected to produce the Flying Scotsman Beinn Dubh single malt Scotch whisky because of its track record working with other historic brands.
The small, boutique distillery also produces the luxurious Royal Choice single malt under its SPEY brand. The expression is sold through the Historic Royal Palaces – a portfolio that includes the Tower of London, Kew Palace and Kensington Palace.
Speyside Distillery CEO John Harvey McDonough says the distillery’s partnership with Flying Scotsman is the perfect match as both represent heritage, tradition and innovation.
He adds, “I don’t think there could be a better whisky to sum up everything that Flying Scotsman stands for. Just as the locomotive was a pioneer of its day and continues to set new records, Speyside Distillery is marrying traditional distilling techniques with innovative ideas.
“We are extremely grateful to have been selected by the Flying Scotsman to develop its own brand single malt Scotch whisky, and it will be a huge honour for us to see Beinn Dubh Flying Scotsman hit the shelves in a couple of weeks.
“We hope that rail enthusiasts and people who love this world-famous locomotive will celebrate its long-awaited return to the National Railway Museum by raising a toast of this very special whisky.”
Flying Scotsman – arguably the best known train in the world - shot to fame after becoming the first steam locomotive to break the 100mph barrier in 1934 during a run from London to Leeds.
Day in the Life: Peter Allison, co-founder of Woven Whisky
The locomotive returns to the National Railway Museum in York today following a £4.2m restoration – and as a working exhibit sets a new record for the oldest mainline working locomotive on Britain’s railway tracks.
To celebrate its return, Flying Scotsman today makes an inaugural run on the East Coast Mainline between London Kings Cross and York, before returning home to the museum where a huge crowd of well-wishers is expected to gather.
Paul Kirkman, Director of the National Railway Museum, said: “We have all been looking forward to the day when Flying Scotsman steams home to York along the East Coast Mainline and now this historic moment has finally come to pass.
“This celebratory journey marks a new stage in this steam icon’s long and colourful history, and is a tribute to all the people who have worked so hard to make this happen, from those that have worked on the restoration itself to the public that donated to our appeal to bring this legend back to life.”
Beinn Dubh is another name often given to Ben Macdui – the highest peak in the Cairngorm mountain range. It translates from Gaelic language as the black mountain, and refers to its dark and mysterious atmosphere.
Beinn Dubh’s taste is deep and dark: rich fruits, currants and chocolate dominate at first, but these gradually give way to both bitterness and sweetness. Beinn Dubh Flying Scotsman is 40% ABV and has an RRP of £50.
It will be available to buy from the National Railway Museum retail outlets. Speyside Distillery will also be putting the commemorative bottle on general release, with distributors receiving a limited allocation of the stock