Aberfeldy

The history of the Aberfeldy distillery is closely linked to that of the blender John Dewar & Sons . Founded in 1896 by John Dewar, grandson of the founder of Dewar's , the distillery emerged during a period of intense expansion in the Scotch whisky industry. Growing demand encouraged many entrepreneurs to embark on this venture, but this boom was short-lived. The ensuing crisis led to the closure of nearly half of the new distilleries. Some, like Benromach , remained idle for decades and narrowly escaped complete closure.

In its early days, the Aberfeldy distillery produced whiskies exclusively for Dewar's blends , notably for the famous Dewar's White Label . Even today, a significant portion of its production is dedicated to this purpose. It wasn't until 1991 that Aberfeldy was officially bottled as a single malt , with the release of a 12-year-old in the prestigious Flora & Fauna range , marking the end of the Distillers Company Limited era. The latter was formed in 1925 from the merger of John Dewar & Sons with other major blending houses such as John Walker & Sons and Buchanan .

The modern history of the distillery began after its acquisition by the Bacardi group, following the forced sale of Diageo due to monopoly concerns. Although primarily focused on rum, Bacardi has high hopes for the Aberfeldy distillery and invests heavily in it. The brand pays a strong tribute to its founder, whose name now proudly appears on every bottle of the new design. The site chosen by John Dewar previously housed a brewery; it is located just a few kilometers from his birthplace and benefits from strategic proximity to the railway line.

Since 2009, the Aberfeldy range has offered several expressions of varying ages, from 12 to 21 years old, complemented by the introduction of a 16-year-old in 2015. The distillery has an annual production capacity of slightly less than three million liters of pure alcohol, produced by its four stills. Aberfeldy also distinguishes itself through its combined use of ten washbacks made of wood and stainless steel .
Aberfeldy employs a long fermentation process of 70 hours, allowing for greater aroma development. Furthermore, the use of large copper stills , with their specific heights and shapes, gives the whisky its unique character.
In terms of maturation, whiskies are mostly aged in bourbon casks , with occasional use of ex -sherry casks . Read less