Aberfeldy

Aberfeldy – The golden dram from the Scottish Highlands

In the picturesque valley of the River Tay, at the foot of the Central Scottish Highlands, lies the Aberfeldy whisky distillery. It was founded in 1896 by the brothers John and Tommy Dewar. The choice of location was as pragmatic as it was visionary: the distillery was built on the banks of the Tay, on the site of the former Pitilie distillery. The architectural design was by the renowned Charles Doig. Production of the first whisky finally began in 1898 .

At the heart of the distillery lies its unique water source, the Pitilie Burn. This water is known amongst the locals not only for its exceptional purity, but also for its natural gold deposits. This mineral-rich quality gives the whisky its distinctive character and is the reason for its nickname: ‘The Golden Dram’.

Distillation takes place in four copper stills – two wash stills each holding 17,000 litres and two spirit stills each holding 15,000 litres. These are handcrafted by the long-established Scottish firm Forsyths. A long fermentation period of 65 to 85 hours and careful distillation in the copper stills give the single malt its mellow, fruity and honey-sweet notes. Aberfeldy is thus a classic example of the Central Highlands style.

The history of the distillery has been marked by several changes of ownership. As early as 1925, it passed to the Distillers Company Limited (DCL) and in 1930 to Scottish Malt Distillers (SMD). In 1972, the distillery’s own malting plant was closed and the number of stills was doubled . Since 1998, Aberfeldy has been part of the Bacardi spirits group .

Today, the majority of production is used for the famous Dewar’s blended Scotch. However, Aberfeldy has also made a name for itself as a single malt. The 12-year-old expression, launched in 2000, is the centrepiece of the range. The core range now also includes 16- and 21-year-old whiskies, which are matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks. Malt Master Stephanie Macleod upholds the heritage and ensures consistently high quality. With its smooth, sweet and honeyed character, Aberfeldy is a whisky that delights connoisseurs and newcomers alike.