Whiskey Benriach Speyside Single Malt

Whiskey Benriach (stag hill in Gaelic)

It is a Speyside distillery, it has long been unknown to the general public because it is mainly used to produce malts used for blends. The creation of this distillery dates back to 1898 and is the work of John Duff a member of the Grant family. Unfortunately Benriach had to close its doors in 1900 following the bankruptcy of Cie Pattisson, which was the biggest buyer of whiskeys at the time. This resounding Crack almost endangered the whole whiskey industry in Scotland.

Benriach was built a stone's throw from Longmorn and was also referred to for a time as Longmorn 2. Following the Pattisson bankruptcy, the Benriach tool was used as a malt house for Longmorn. It was not until 1965 that it was rehabilitated as a distillery by Glenlivet.

The double identity of Benriach whiskeys

Benriach whiskeys have a double identity now clearly assumed! This Speyside distillery produces unpeated malts (normal for a Speyside) but also peated malts (more surprising!). The reason is quite simple, in 1978 the distillery was bought by Chivas which was then bought by Seagram. The Seagram group needed peated whiskeys to make their blends and the demand for peated Islay whiskeys was starting to rise! The decision was taken in 1983 to entrust Benriach with the production of peated malts from barley dried over a peat fire. The "Curiositas" version comes from malts from this period. In 2001 Pernod Ricard bought Seagram. A production rationalization campaign resulted in the observation that Bentiach only distilled 3 months per year !! Pernod Ricard decided to separate from 4 distilleries including Benriach in 2004. Billy Walker, the former director of Burn Stewart found investors and bought the distillery. This was the real rebirth of Benriach, since the range quickly went from a single reference for 10 years, to a rich range of treasures contained in the cellars. The production of peated whiskey at Benrtiach represents more or less 10% of the volumes.