Speyburn 44 Year Old 1977 (Cask 6045101) Private Collection (Gordon & Macphail)

About The Brand: Speyburn

In Rothes, Moray, Scotland, John Hopkins & Company invested £17,000 to start the Speyburn Distillery. John Hopkins personally choose the location because it had clean water coming from the Granty Burn, a small River Spey tributary. Hopkins hired renowned distillery architect Charles C. Doig to construct the distillery, and Speyburn still sports Doig's signature classic pagoda ventilator. The owners planned for manufacturing to commence on November 1st, 1897, in order to ensure that the first fillings could contain the date 1897—Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. The stills did not, however, start playing until December 15 owing to delays. When manufacturing did start, the still house had no windows or doors. The first spirit was run off in a ferocious snowstorm with the distillery personnel working in overcoats and mufflers to protect them from the elements while under the cautious supervision of John Smith, the distillery manager. But the owners were successful in realizing their goal, and one butt was created and bonded with the year 1897 on it. The number 9 best-selling single malt whiskey in the USA right now is Speyburn Single Highland Scotch Malt Whisky, which is shipped all over the world. The Old Pulteney Distillery, Knockdhu Distillery, Balblair Distillery, and Balmenach Distillery are among the distilleries owned by Inver House Distillers Limited, a distiller.