🥃 Speyburn
Distillery and single malt brand in Rothes (Speyside), founded 1897; water from the Granty Burn; worm tub condensers; owned by Inver House Distillers.
Speyburn is a distillery and single malt Scotch whisky brand in Rothes, in Speyside. According to the producer, it was founded in 1897 by John Hopkins, a brandy merchant, to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. It stands beside the Granty Burn, which flows into the River Spey, and the brand says it is the only distillery to use this stream. The owner is Inver House Distillers, which trades as International Beverage.
History. The architect was Charles C. Doig, who designed a three-level building set into the hillside, with a pagoda roof that lets heat rise from the maltings. Production began on 1 November 1897 and the first spirit ran on Christmas Day. In 1916 the distillery was sold to The Distillers Company; it closed in 1939, reopened in 1947, retired drum malting in 1967 and was sold to Inver House in 1992. Capacity was doubled in 2014, and in 2023 the distillery opened to visitors for the first time, during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.
How it is made. There are three stills: one large wash still and two smaller spirit stills, the latter paired with traditional worm tub condensers. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel and wooden washbacks. The spirit is filled into casks that previously held bourbon or sherry and matured in a traditional dunnage warehouse. The range on the producer's site includes Bourbon Cask (no age statement), 10, 15 and 18 Year Old, and Rum Cask Finish.
Why it matters to you. Scotch whisky must be matured in oak casks of up to 700 litres for at least three years and bottled at 40% ABV or more; a single malt comes from one distillery, from water and malted barley, distilled in pot stills (Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, reg. 3). The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Year founded | 1897, John Hopkins; architect Charles C. Doig; Rothes, Speyside |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Speyside) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | malted barley; water from the Granty Burn |
| Distillation method | 3 stills: one wash still and two spirit stills with worm tub condensers |
| Cask type | casks that previously held bourbon or sherry; Rum Cask Finish |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in oak by law; the range includes 10, 15 and 18 Year Old |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | at least 40% ABV by law |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Speyburn → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- 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
- 🥃 Glen Grant, 🥃 Old Pulteney
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Speyburn was founded for Queen Victoria's jubilee?
According to the producer, yes: it was founded in 1897 to mark the Diamond Jubilee, and production began on 1 November 1897.
Where does the water for Speyburn come from?
From the Granty Burn, a stream that flows into the River Spey; the producer says Speyburn is the only distillery to use it.
Who owns Speyburn?
Inver House Distillers, trading as International Beverage; the producer says the distillery was sold to it in 1992.
How many stills does Speyburn have?
Three: one large wash still and two smaller spirit stills, which the producer pairs with traditional worm tub condensers.
Can Speyburn be visited?
The producer says the distillery first opened to visitors in 2023, during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival; check speyburn.com for current tours.
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
🥃 Knockdhu · 🥃 Auchroisk · 🥃 Benrinnes · 🥃 Dailuaine · 🥃 Tamdhu · 🥃 Blair Athol
⚠️ 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
- Speyburn (official site): Our heritage (John Hopkins; Charles C. Doig; 1897 Diamond Jubilee; production from 1 Nov 1897, first spirit Christmas Day; DCL 1916; closed 1939, reopened 1947; drum malting retired 1967; Inver House 1992; capacity doubled 2014; visitors from 2023)
- Speyburn (official site): Our process (Granty Burn; stainless steel and wooden washbacks; three stills, worm tub condensers; bourbon and sherry casks; dunnage warehouse)
- Speyburn (official site): Our whisky (Bourbon Cask, 10, 15, 18 Year Old, Rum Cask Finish)
- 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)