| Region: Highland | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Bacardi |
| Founded | 1896 |
| Status | Operational |
| Water source | Pitilie Burn |
| Number of stills | 2 wash stills 2 spirit stills |
| Aberfeldy | |
| Type | Single malt |
| Age(s) | 12 Years |
| Cask type(s) | American White Oak, Ex-Bourbon Casks (Main) |
| ABV | 40% - 43% |
| Age(s) | 18 Years |
| Cask type(s) | American White Oak, Ex-Bourbon Casks (Main) |
| ABV | 43% |
Aberfeldy Distillery is a distillery in Scotland that distills Aberfeldy 12 and Aberfeldy 21 single malt Scotch Whisky[1] .
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Aberfeldy Distillery, founded by the John Dewar & Sons, Ltd., was built in 1896 and opened in 1898. It was constructed at the beginning of the Dewar's worldwide expansion.
However, with demand for barley rising in World War I for use as a basic foodstuff, the distillery closed from 1917 to 1919. The Second World War also caused barley supplies to be cut, and the distillery was again forced to shut down for some of this period. Supply to final markets was kept up by reducing the period whisky was laid up from 7 years to 3.
In 1972 the distillery was enlarged. In 1999, an Aberfeldy 12 Year Old Single Malt brand was introduced. In 2000, the Earl of Elgin opened "Dewar's World of Whisky" at the Aberfeldy Distillery: this is a centre for marketing the products and educating the public about the process of distillation and history of the Dewar's brand.[2]
Aberfeldy is the largest malt whisky component of Dewar's Blended Whisky.
Aberfeldy is situated in the centre of Scotland, some five miles east of Loch Tay and the town of Kenmore and about eight miles south of Loch Tummel. Aberfeldy relies on the fresh water stream Pitilie Burn, which runs alongside the distillery. Aberfeldy is the only distillery in Scotland to use these waters.[3] Aberfeldy uses only Scottish barley, yeast and water.
As well as being a premium setting for producing single malt Scotch whisky, the area is speckled with historical landmarks, such as Kenmore Bridge. This was built by the 3rd Earl in 1774 and the view from it was the inspiration for Robert Burns's poem on the chimney piece of the Kenmore Inn.[3]
International Spirit ratings organizations and liquor review bodies generally have had divergent reactions to Aberfeldy whiskies. The San Francisco World spirits competition has awarded the Aberfeldy 12- and 21-year whiskies a series of impressive medals, with the 12-year winning two golds and two silvers between 2007 and 2010 and the 21-year winning two golds, a double gold, and a bronze over the same time frame.[4] By contrast, Wine Enthusiast rated both offerings in its 85-89 range, a relatively modest score, in 2008. [5]