🥃 Dailuaine
Distillery and single malt brand at Carron near Aberlour (Speyside), founded in 1851; the first pagoda roof on a malting kiln in Scotland; owned by Diageo.
Dailuaine is a distillery and single malt Scotch whisky brand at Carron, near Aberlour in Speyside. William Mackenzie built it in 1851. During a rebuild in 1884 it gained what Whiskypedia calls the first pagoda roof on a malting kiln in Scotland. Today the distillery belongs to Diageo.
History. In 1898 Dailuaine merged with Talisker into Dailuaine-Talisker Distilleries. In 1915 the company was bought by John Dewar & Sons, John Walker & Sons and James Buchanan & Co. In 1917 a fire destroyed the pagoda roof and the distillery stood idle until 1920. In 1925 Distillers Company Limited took over its operation. A second fire struck in 1959, and Diageo has owned it since 1997.
How it is made. After the 1960 expansion there are six stills. There are ten washbacks, eight wooden and two steel, and fermentation lasts about 75 hours. The condensers are stainless steel, which reduces contact of the spirit with copper. Water comes from the Balliemullich Burn, and the malt is unpeated.
The range. The first single malt bottling came out in 1991: a 16-year-old in the Flora & Fauna series, which Whiskypedia describes as coming from ex-sherry casks. The distillery is not open to the public.
Why this matters to you. Single malt Dailuaine is uncommon, so check the label for age, casks and strength. The age on the label refers to the youngest whisky, and by law the strength must be at least 40% ABV. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe amount of alcohol.
Facts
| Year founded | 1851, William Mackenzie; Carron near Aberlour |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Speyside) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | unpeated barley malt; water from the Balliemullich Burn |
| Distillation method | twice, 6 stills; 10 washbacks (8 wooden, 2 steel), fermentation about 75 hours; stainless-steel condensers |
| Cask type | 16-year-old Flora & Fauna — ex-sherry casks (per Whiskypedia) |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in oak by law; the official version is 16 years (Flora & Fauna) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | at least 40% ABV by law |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Dailuaine → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Sherry
- 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
- 🥃 Talisker, 🥃 Johnnie Walker
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Dailuaine had the first pagoda roof?
Yes, according to Whiskypedia: it was built during the 1884 rebuild and burned in 1917.
How is Dailuaine linked to Talisker?
In 1898 the two distilleries merged into Dailuaine-Talisker Distilleries; today both belong to Diageo.
Who owns Dailuaine?
Diageo, since 1997; from 1925 the distillery was part of the Distillers Company.
What is the official Dailuaine version?
A 16-year-old in the Flora & Fauna series, first released in 1991 and described by Whiskypedia as coming from ex-sherry casks.
Can you visit Dailuaine?
No, the distillery is not open to the public.
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.
- 🍷 Sherry — Protected wine from the Jerez de la Frontera area of Andalusia, aged in oak casks in the solera system; 14 to 22 % alcohol.
- 🌍 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.
Similar
🥃 Benrinnes · 🥃 Auchroisk · 🥃 Knockdhu · 🥃 Tamdhu · 🥃 Tamnavulin · 🥃 Glen Elgin
⚠️ 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
- Scotch Whisky Association, Whiskypedia: Dailuaine (1851, William Mackenzie; Carron, Aberlour; rebuilt 1884 with Scotland's first pagoda; Dailuaine-Talisker Distilleries 1898; Dewar, Walker and Buchanan 1915; fire 1917, reopened 1920; DCL 1925; fire 1959; 6 stills since 1960; 10 washbacks, 75 h; Balliemullich Burn; unpeated; 16 YO Flora & Fauna 1991; Diageo; not open to the public)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)