Magic from ‘Hill of the barn’

New Update

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Tomintoul Distillery wafts not only great aroma and offers a heady palate but also reflects more than five decades of tradition of quality whisky making. Globally acknowledged for its traditional techniques the distillery never tires of making award-winning single malts. A visit to this distillery is not only a highly enriching experience but also anunforgettable treat for connoisseurs of good Scotch. 

Located in Ballindalloch, in the Speyside region of Scotland, the distillery is named after the nearby village of Tomintoul, the highest village in the Highlands of Scotland. In Scottish Gaelic, Tomintoul literally means ‘hill of the barn.’

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More specifically, the distillery is located in the 23,000 hectare (230 square kilometres) Glenlivet estate, in close proximity to the Cairngorm National Park. It has been producing malt whisky for blends, and bottled as single malts.

Birth of Whiskies at Tomintoul

At Tomintoul Distillery, whisky crafting starts with selection of the quality ingredients including barley. Under the supervision of master distiller, here the barley is carefully inspected, measured and tested to ensure it meets the stringent standards for quality. First, it is soaked in water, where it begins to sprout. This process causes the grain to turn its store of starch into sugars, which will later feed the yeast to make alcohol. The barley is heated until dry to stop it germinating any further. Subsequently, malted barley grinds down in a mill so that it becomes coarse flour.

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In fact, Tomintoul whiskies are not made with barley that has been dried with peat, so their whiskies aren’t smoky in flavour. Here whiskies are processed through Tomintoul Peaty Tang, which are made in small batches twice a year, using peated malt.

Later, grist mix ups with hot water in a large vessel called a ‘mash tun’. It becomes a porridgelike mixture that needs continual stirring so that soluble starch turns into sugars. A sweet, sugary liquid, called ‘wort’, is drained off in three batches.

Now it is cooled down to add the yeast, which turns the sugar in the liquid to alcohol. The yeast gives off heat and carbon dioxide, creating large foamy bubbles. Process leads to an alcoholic liquid that is about 8-9 percent ABV. This liquid is named ‘wash’.

The wash goes into copper pot stills, which are like large electric kettles. When carefully heated, the alcohol evaporates at a lower temperature than water. It rises up the still and collects and condenses back into liquid form. This process is carried out twice, ending up with ‘new make’ spirit that is 69 percent ABV.

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The exhaustive process doesn’t finish here. Not all new spirit that comes off the spirit still is good enough to meet Tomintoul Distillery’s high standards, and be matured. Only the purest middle part of the ‘run’ is to be collected in the ‘spirit safe’. The first and last portions or ‘cut’ of the spirit is re-distilled while the pure middle bit goes straight into casks to mature.

Tomintoul whiskies lie in oak wood casks for many years before it goes into bottles. It has time to soak in the flavour from the different layers of the wood. The wood is breathable, and 2 percent of the whisky evaporates from the cask each year. This evaporation amount is known as ‘the angels’ share.’

Meet the Master Distiller

A person having whisky running through his veins and with 46 years experience in whisky making, Master Distiller of Tomintoul Distillery, Robert Fleming’s extensive whisky knowledge has developed every area of whisky production at the distillery. He has been leading various projects to upgrade and improve processes which have guaranteed consistent quality.

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“When I started in the industry in 1974 there were only a few single malts available; today the choice is vast,” he observes with considerable satisfaction.

Over the years, Robert has been instrumental to many significant changes at the distillery. When he joined Tomintoul the distillery had only one single malt release, a 12 Year Old. Today the range is extensive, from non-age statements to special cask finishes, single cask releases and much older expressions such as the 40 Year Old. These developments very much reflect changing consumer demands over the last 30 years and also Robert’s dexterity.

Sustainable Culture

Sustainability is part of the culture of Tomintoul Distillery. Overall, Tomintoul Distillery uses many processes to ensure that very little gets wasted. Under the sustainable environment initiatives, at the distillery the cold water is recycled that is used for cooling the hot vapour that rises from the spirit to heat the wort.

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It is also mixed with the leftover barley husks left behind from the mash to make syrup that is used as cattle food. Anything left over after the second distillation makes great fertiliser for the next year’s crop of barley. The serene environment that surrounds distillery can be tasted in each and every glass of whisky from Tomintoul Distillery... yes, till the last drop.