The Benromach Distillery: Situated 3.9 Miles from The Old Mill Inn
Established in 1898, Benromach is independently owned by Gordon & MacPhail of Elgin – a family business with proud, enduring roots in Speyside. Admired the world over for their Whisky expertise, they pour their passion and knowledge into making single malt. In a tradition as old as local whisky making itself, Speyside distilleries malted their own barley. Benromach’s Scottish barley is grown locally and malted with a little peat smoke and their pure soft water rises in the Chapelton Spring in the Romach Hills, just a couple of miles behind the distillery.
Dallas Dhu Distillery: Situated 5 Miles from The Old Mill Inn
Dallas Dhu distillery in Forres closed in 1983 and today is owned and run as a visitor museum by Historic Scotland. Step back in time to see and hear how whisky was made in the 1900s – and then sample a dram for yourself. Visit the malt barn – a long, two-storey warehouse where barley was turned into malt. See the kiln where the barley was dried over a lightly-peated fire.
Marvel at the mash tun – the great vat where the malted barley and water were mixed to create a sugary ‘wort’ and count the six great washbacks where yeast fermented the sugary wort into a weak alcohol called ‘wash’. Step inside the still house, the spiritual heart of the distillery, where the ‘wash’ was transformed into fiery spirit, then finally enter the bonded warehouses where the finished product was left to mature for at least three years.
Royal Brackla Distillery: Situated 8.3 Miles from The Old Mill Inn
The Brackla distillery was built in 1812 by Captain William Fraser of Brackla House on the estate of Cawdor Castle near Nairn. Brackla whisky was selected by King William IV to be his whisky at the Royal Court. In 1833 Brackla Distillery became the first whisky distillery to be granted a Royal Warrant by order of the King and this honour made Royal Brackla one of only three distilleries to bear the name ‘Royal’.
Glen Moray Distillery: Situated 13 Miles from The Old Mill Inn
The locally malted barley and pure waters of the River Lossie combine to produce this delicate well-balanced whisky. At the Glen Moray distillery you can discover the reality of malt whisky distilling. The delight of Glen Moray is that your tour guide could be one of the distillery craftsmen themselves. Glen Moray is available in a range of ages and vintages that will appeal to new malt drinkers as well as connoisseurs looking for something a bit more special. Being in the Laich O’Moray the distillery benefits from the region’s milder climate as it is afforded protection from the Cairngorm and Monadhliath Mountains.
Macallan Distillery: Picturesque 40 minute drive from The Old Mill Inn
The subject of a recent and ground-breaking transformation, Macallan was one of the first distillers in Scotland to be legally licensed. Since then The Macallan has built a reputation as one of the world’s leading single malt whiskies.
