Tamdhu Distillery Story

let’s begin

Started from a shared dream, Tamdhu Distillery can be found at the heart of Speyside.

Entrepreneurial Spirit

In 1897 a group of blenders, headed up by the legendary William Grant, decided it was time to start a new distillery in Knoackando, in Banff. They enlisted Charles Doig, the famed architect who designed many of the best distilleries around at the time, many of which are still open today.

Opened in 1898, Tamdhu was a forward thinking and modern distillery. It is still on the same site today, nestled beside the gorgeous river Spey, giving it a stunning backdrop against which to make some excellent malt.

Tamdhu has an untroubled and easy going history, without much in the way of drama or fanfare. Once it opened, it remained open until 1927, when unfortunately it had to be closed. This was common at the time, with many distilleries closing due to a lack of demand. Tamdhu was one of the lucky ones however, as they were able to reopen in 1947. The distillery never changed owner during that time.

Modern Times

The distillery did well in the whisky boom of the 1970s and again, was able to remain open without much in the way of drama of changing hands. Some distilleries change owners quite often, so this is something of a rarity.

But this couldn’t go on forever. The distillery was forced to close their doors again, this time in 2010, and when they opened back up in 2012, it wasn’t Erdington Group at the helm anymore.

Tamdhu had been sold to Ian Macleod Distillers, and remains in their ownership today. The malt made there is still well respected and they have recently gone through a rebrand to give them a more modern edge.

Like the original founders, Tamdhu Distillery prides itself on using the best ingredients, and like a true Speysider, makes sure to only use the finest Sherry casks to mature their malt.

Are you a fan of Tamdhu Distillery whisky? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Tags: heart of SpeysideKnoackandoTamdhuTamdhu DistilleryWilliam Grant

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.