Dalmunach Distillery, Carron: The Modern Beauty on the Imperial Site

Overview

Dalmunach is one of the most striking modern distilleries in Scotland. It stands at Carron on the banks of the Spey, on part of the site of the old Imperial distillery. Chivas Brothers built it for about £25 million. Work began in 2012, and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon officially opened it in 2015. Its design is said to be inspired by a sheaf of barley, and it won a RIBA award for Scotland. With eight stills and a capacity of about 10 million litres, it is one of the larger distilleries in Speyside. Its name comes from a nearby pool on the River Spey.

Where it is

Dalmunach is in the village of Carron, on the south bank of the Spey between Aberlour (about 3 miles) and Knockando. It sits beside the Speyside Way, which follows the old railway along the river. Elgin is about 15 miles north, and Dailuaine distillery is just across the river.

The full history

Imperial: the distillery before

The site’s first distillery, Imperial, was built in the late 1890s, at the height of the Victorian boom. It was named for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and crowned with a large cast-iron imperial crown. Imperial spent much of its life closed. It shut for the last time in the late 1990s, and its buildings were later demolished. Its whisky is now rare and collectable.

A new distillery for Chivas

In the 2010s, Chivas Brothers, owned by Pernod Ricard, needed more malt for Chivas Regal and its other blends. It chose the old Imperial site for a new distillery. Work began in 2012. The building, by Scottish architects, takes its shape from a sheaf of barley, with a light, airy stillhouse looking out over the Spey. Nicola Sturgeon opened it in 2015, and the same year it won a RIBA award for Scotland.

First bottling

Most of Dalmunach’s spirit goes into Chivas blends. The first single malt bottling was a 4-year-old single cask released in 2019.

How it’s made

Dalmunach has four wash stills and four spirit stills, sixteen stainless steel washbacks and a capacity of about 10 million litres a year. The spirit stills have an onion shape that pays tribute to Imperial’s stills. Water comes from a burn rising in the Mannoch Hills. The spirit is fruity and floral, in the classic Speyside style.

Clans & the land

• The Grants: this stretch of the Spey was Grant country. Archiestown, a mile or two north, was laid out as a planned village in the 1760s by Sir Archibald Grant. See Clan Grant.
• Ballindalloch Castle, about 5 miles upstream, home of the Macpherson-Grants since 1546.
• The Gordons held the hills to the south-east. See Clan Gordon.
• Easter Elchies House, at the Macallan estate across the river, is a fine Highland manor house of 1700.

River, walks & churches

• The Speyside Way runs past the distillery along the old Strathspey railway line, with river views and old stations along the way.
• Carron Bridge and the River Spey, one of the world’s great salmon rivers.
• Knockando Woolmill, a restored 18th-century mill, is a few miles upstream.
• There are no lochs here. See our lochs guide and our standing stones guide.

Visiting

Dalmunach is production only, with no visitor centre or tours. You can see the building from the Speyside Way. Nearby, Aberlour and The Macallan both offer tours.

Nearby distilleries

• Dailuaine, just across the river.
• Aberlour (about 3 miles), with tours.
• Knockando, Tamdhu and Cardhu (about 3–5 miles).
• The Macallan (about 4 miles), with tours.
• Benrinnes (about 4 miles).

The Speyside Whisky Trail and the whisky hub cover the region.

Sources

• Dalmunach distillery — Wikipedia.
• Chivas Brothers / Pernod Ricard.