Distillery
Aberfeldy
Producer of Scottish single malt known as "The Golden Dram": Aberfeldy makes whisky at its historic Aberfeldy (Perthshire) facilities, using water from the Pitilie Burn, Forsyths copper pot stills and long fermentation times for a honey-fruity character.
- Aberfeldy · Perthshire / Central Highlands · Scotland
- Since 1898
- 4 products
The story
The Aberfeldy distillery was built by brothers John Alexander and Tommy Dewar around the end of the 19th century and began production in 1898. Originally created to supply the malt heart for John Dewar & Sons blends, it later passed to Distillers Company Ltd and subsequently other groups; Dewar's is today part of the ownership structure linked to Bacardi, while the site continues its production role and hosts the "Dewar's World of Whisky" visitor centre opened in 2000.
Production philosophy
Emphasise local ingredients and traditional techniques to achieve a soft, honeyed profile: use of local water (Pitilie Burn), Scottish barley malt, extended fermentations and slow copper pot still distillation to concentrate sweet and fruity notes.
Territory
Aberfeldy, Perthshire (Central Highlands), Scotland
Production method
Production is based on Scottish malted barley milled in-house or supplied by trusted maltsters, long fermentation times to develop aromatic esters, slow distillation in copper pot stills (Forsyths) and maturation in wood (mainly ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks: barrels, hogsheads and butts). Water is sourced from the Pitilie Burn, the distillery's historic supply.
Distillation
Slow distillation in copper pot stills (Forsyths) aimed at preserving fruity and honeyed notes.
Ageing
Maturation in oak casks; combined use of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry barrels, in formats such as barrels, hogsheads and butts.
Characteristics
- Type
- Distillery
- City
- Aberfeldy
- Categories
- single malt whisky
- Highland single malt
- Scottish whisky producer
- premium distillery
- Raw materials
- malted barley
- water (Pitilie Burn)
- yeast
- Casks and ageing vessels
- ex-bourbon (American oak)
- ex-sherry
- barrels
- hogsheads
- butts
- Representative products
- Aberfeldy 12 Year Old
- Aberfeldy 16 Year Old
- Aberfeldy 21 Year Old
- Aberfeldy 25 Year Old
What makes it distinctive
- Spring water from the Pitilie Burn, historically associated with alluvial gold deposits (hence the nickname "The Golden Dram")
- Organoleptic profile marked by honeyed and fruity notes due to long fermentations
- Distillation in copper pot stills built by Forsyths
- Dewar's World of Whisky: on-site visitor centre and educational experience