Aberfeldy Distillery, Perthshire: The Golden Dram

Overview

Aberfeldy, in the heart of Perthshire, makes a honeyed, heather-sweet Highland malt that is the beating heart of the famous Dewar’s blend. Its excellent visitor centre, Dewar’s World of Whisky, is one of the best distillery experiences in the southern Highlands.

The history

Aberfeldy was built in 1896–98 by the Dewar brothers, Tommy and John, sons of the founder of the Dewar’s blending empire, deliberately sited in Perthshire near the family’s roots and on the main rail line. It was created to supply the single most important malt for Dewar’s White Label, and has done so ever since; it is now, fittingly, the home of the Dewar’s brand and its heritage centre.

The water & the land

Aberfeldy’s water is the Pitilie Burn, which runs down to the River Tay beside the distillery — a burn famous for carrying traces of alluvial gold, which is where the whisky’s “Golden Dram” nickname comes from.

Aberfeldy had no founding clan — it was a commercial build by the Dewars. It stands in Breadalbane, historically the country of the Campbells of Breadalbane, close to Clan Menzies land at neighbouring Weem, where Castle Menzies still stands — a fine slice of Perthshire clan history around the modern distillery.

Visiting

Aberfeldy’s Dewar’s World of Whisky is a full visitor attraction with an exhibition, tours, tastings and warehouse experiences. It generally opens Monday to Saturday 10–6 and Sunday 12–4 from April to October, and Monday to Saturday 10–4 in winter; check the website. Aberfeldy town, with its Wade bridge and the Birks, is well worth exploring too.

Nearby & more whisky

• Another Perthshire distillery: Blair Athol
• Also in Perthshire: Glenturret
• The whole picture: Scotch whisky — regions, distilleries & the oldest of all

Sources

• Aberfeldy distillery — Wikipedia.
• Dewar’s / John Dewar & Sons.