🥃 Aberlour
A distillery and single malt brand in Aberlour, Speyside; the current building dates from 1879; sherry and bourbon casks; owned by Pernod Ricard.
Aberlour is a distillery and single malt Scotch whisky brand in the town of Aberlour in Speyside. The current distillery was built in 1879 by the banker James Fleming on the site of an older one. The whisky is known for its sherry and bourbon casks, and the owner is Pernod Ricard, within which the distillery is run by Chivas Brothers.
History. The first distillery is linked to James Gordon and Peter Weir, whom Whiskypedia dates to 1825 or 1826; Weir left within a year. The current one was built in 1879 with Fleming's money, then burned down and was rebuilt in 1898. Ownership changed several times: R. Thorne & Sons, W.H. Holt & Sons, and Campbell Distillers from 1945. Pernod Ricard bought the distillery in 1974, and Chivas Brothers has run it since 2001.
How it is made. The distillery has two pairs of stills, so four in all, classic copper stills heated by coal; the wash still holds 12,300 litres and the spirit still 14,500. There are six stainless-steel washbacks in the mash house. According to Whiskypedia, the water comes from the St Drostan's Well spring, although the fact table names Birkenbush and Target. The malt is unpeated, and annual capacity is 3.9 million litres of pure alcohol.
Range. According to Difford's Guide, Aberlour 12 Year Old Double Cask is 40% ABV and is matured in American oak casks that previously held bourbon and in sherry casks. A'bunadh, launched in 2000, is small-batch, cask-strength whisky matured only in sherry casks. There are also 16- and 18-year-old versions.
Why this matters to you. The "Double Cask" label means two types of cask, not a mix of different whiskies. The age on the label is the age of the youngest whisky in the bottle. A'bunadh is stronger than 40%, so read the figure on the label. By law, single malt is made from water and malted barley at one distillery. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1825/1826 (first distillery), current one 1879, James Fleming; rebuilt 1898 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Speyside) |
| EU category | 2 - whisky (whisky/whiskey) |
| Raw material | unpeated malted barley; water from St Drostan's Well |
| Distillation method | twice, 2 pairs of copper stills, 6 stainless-steel washbacks |
| Cask type | ex-bourbon and sherry casks (A'bunadh: sherry only) |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in oak by law; Double Cask: 12 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV (12 Double Cask); A'bunadh is stronger |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Aberlour → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Pernod Ricard
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Sherry, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Speyside whisky
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Glenfiddich, 🥃 Chivas Regal, 🥃 Yamazaki, 🥃 Yamazaki, 🥃 Kilchoman, 🥃 Kilchoman, 🥃 Grant's, 🥃 Grant's, 🥃 Strathisla, 🥃 Strathisla
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Aberlour is the oldest distillery in Speyside?
Our sources contain no such claim. Whiskypedia dates the first distillery to 1825-1826, and the current building was rebuilt in 1879.
Who owns Aberlour?
Pernod Ricard, within which the distillery is run by Chivas Brothers; the group has owned it since 1974, and Chivas Brothers has run it since 2001.
What is A'bunadh?
A small-batch, cask-strength whisky matured entirely in sherry casks; it was launched in 2000.
What casks is Aberlour 12 Double Cask matured in?
In American oak that previously held bourbon, and in sherry casks, according to Difford's Guide.
What water does Aberlour use?
Whiskypedia mentions the St Drostan's Well spring.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
- 🧑🤝🧑 British — People of Great Britain; their protected West Country Cheddar matures for at least 9 months, and tea is drunk with milk.
Similar
🥃 Auchroisk · 🥃 Glenfarclas · 🥃 Benromach · 🥃 Aberfeldy · 🥃 100 Pipers · 🥃 Glengoyne
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: Scotch Whisky and Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): Aberlour (1825/1826, Fleming 1879, fire 1898, Pernod Ricard from 1974, Chivas Brothers 2001, two pairs of stills, A'bunadh 2000)
- Difford's Guide: Aberlour 12 Year Old Double Cask (40 %, American oak ex-bourbon casks and sherry-seasoned butts, Pernod Ricard Group)
- Difford's Guide: Aberlour Distillery (Aberlour, Banffshire; operational)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)