Benriach

Benriach , whose name means "the hill of the deer", is a Speyside Scotch whisky distillery located in Elgin , in the heart of one of Scotland's most iconic regions.

Founded in 1898 by John Duff , Benriach can be considered the younger sister of Longmorn , built a year earlier by the same owner. However, financial difficulties quickly led to its closure. Purchased two years later by Longmorn, the distillery again had to cease operations almost immediately, a victim of the Pattison crisis . The Pattison brothers, then the main buyers of distillate, were convicted of fraud and embezzlement, leaving behind a company unable to meet its financial obligations.

Benriach remained dormant for over 60 years before being acquired in 1965 by The Glenlivet Distillers, who undertook its reconstruction. In 1977 , the distillery was sold to the Seagram group, which installed a second pair of stills in 1985. The first official bottling under Seagram's ownership, a 10-year-old Benriach , was released in 1994 , but it failed to make a lasting impression.

In 2001, Benriach was acquired by Chivas Brothers, who decided to close the site in 2002. The true renaissance—or rather, the true birth—of Benriach occurred in 2004 when it was bought by a trio led by Billy Walker , former head of Burn Stewart . Since then, they have elevated Benriach to the ranks of the most dynamic and innovative distilleries in Scotland.

Upon their arrival, the team profoundly transformed the brand's identity, both visually and in terms of the range. Alongside the 10-year-old, the 12, 16, and 20-year-old versions were launched, as well as the Heart of Speyside. Billy Walker , supported by his two sons, continues to develop the distillery through vintage bottlings , peated whiskies , and atypical maturations , creating a particularly rich portfolio.

Current challenges include bringing the distillery's malting areas back into service, which are still functional but have been unused since 1999.

Benriach has two wash stills and two spirit stills , for an annual capacity of 2.8 million liters of pure alcohol, intentionally underutilized to preserve future development potential. The distillery produces a wide range of single malts , from classic Speyside styles to heavily peated expressions, including finishes in various wine casks. The water used in production comes from the Bourmade spring , located directly beneath the distillery. Read less