Macduff Distillery, Banff: The Deveron / Glen Deveron

Overview

Macduff is one of the few new distilleries built in post-war Scotland. It stands on the banks of the River Deveron, where the river meets the sea between the twin towns of Banff and Macduff on the Moray Firth coast. Founded in 1960, it makes a smooth, honeyed, slightly nutty malt, sold as a single malt under the name The Deveron (formerly Glen Deveron). It is also a key part of the William Lawson’s blend. The owner is John Dewar & Sons, part of Bacardi.

It is not open to visitors. The coast around it, though, is one of the least crowded and most rewarding stretches in Scotland, with Georgian Banff, the Adam masterpiece of Duff House, cliff-foot fishing villages and a strong clan history.

Where it is

The distillery sits on the east bank of the Deveron just above the bridge, on the Macduff side, facing Banff across the river. Banff and Macduff are about 47 miles north-west of Aberdeen, about 1 hour 15 minutes by the A947, and about 35 miles east of Elgin along the coast road. Fraserburgh is about 25 miles east.

The full history

A 1960s new-build

After the Second World War, demand for blended Scotch, especially in America, grew fast. Blenders needed more malt than the old Victorian distilleries could supply. In 1960 a group of whisky businessmen formed Macduff Distillers Ltd and built a modern distillery on the Deveron, the first new malt distillery on this coast for generations. Its clean, practical buildings look very different from the pagoda roofs of Speyside.

Lawson’s, Martini and Bacardi

In 1972 Macduff was bought by William Lawson Distillers, and its malt became the backbone of Lawson’s blend, a best-seller in Europe. Lawson’s was part of the Italian Martini & Rossi group from 1980. In 1992 Bacardi bought Martini & Rossi and handed the distillery to its Scotch arm, John Dewar & Sons. Dewar’s still runs Macduff, alongside Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie and Royal Brackla.

Glen Deveron to The Deveron

For years the single malt was sold as Glen Deveron, mostly in duty-free and continental markets. In 2015 Dewar’s relaunched it as The Deveron, with 10, 12 and 18 Year Old bottlings, as part of its “Last Great Malts” range. The distillery is also known locally for supporting community groups such as the Portsoy 75 Club.

How it’s made

Macduff has an unusual still layout: two wash stills and three spirit stills. Odd numbers of stills are rare in Scotch distilling. Capacity is around 2.4 million litres of alcohol a year. Water comes from local sources near the Deveron. The style is light and fruity, with honey, apple and malt, suited to both blending and an easy-drinking single malt.

Clans & the land

Macduff was built by businessmen, not a clan, but the towns on either side of the river are full of family history:

• The Duffs, Earls Fife. The town of Macduff was once a fishing village called Doune. The Duff family, who claimed descent from the ancient Macduff Earls of Fife, bought it in the 18th century. In 1783 James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife, renamed it Macduff and made it a burgh. Across the river in Banff, his father, William Duff, Lord Braco, had Duff House built (1735–40) by William Adam. It is one of the finest Georgian Baroque houses in Britain and is now open as a gallery. The same family later founded Dufftown.
• The Ogilvies. Banff Castle was the town house of the Ogilvies, Lords Banff. The present Georgian house stands on the site of the medieval royal castle.
• The Hays of Delgatie and the Gordons. Ten miles south near Turriff stands Delgatie Castle, seat of the Clan Hay, which is open to visitors. Inland, most of the Deveron valley was Gordon country, ruled from Huntly.

Churches, coast & the river

• Macduff Parish Church, high on the hill above the harbour, has a landmark tower that has guided fishing boats home for two centuries. Next to it stands the town’s war memorial, with views across the bay.
• St Mary’s Kirkyard, Banff: the old burial ground of the burgh, with carved 17th- and 18th-century gravestones and the remains of the medieval church.
• Pennan, Gardenstown and Crovie: three fishing villages tucked under the cliffs, 8–12 miles east. Pennan was the setting for the film Local Hero.
• The River Deveron: one of Scotland’s great salmon and sea-trout rivers, with walks through the Duff House woods to the Bridge of Alvah gorge.

There are no lochs of note here; the water that matters is the Deveron and the sea. See our lochs guide for more. For carved stones, the Pictish country of the Garioch is an hour south. See our standing stones guide.

Visiting

Macduff is production only, with no visitor centre or public tours. Nearby distilleries that welcome visitors include GlenDronach (about 30 minutes) and Glenglassaugh at Portsoy (about 15 minutes). Our North-East Whisky Trail covers the coast and the hinterland.

Nearby distilleries

• Glenglassaugh, Portsoy (about 9 miles): the seaside distillery revived in 2008.
• Knockdhu (anCnoc), Knock (about 17 miles).
• GlenDronach, Forgue (about 20 miles): sherried Highland malt with tours.
• Strathisla, Keith (about 25 miles).
• Ardmore, Kennethmont (about 35 miles): Teacher’s peated malt.

The whisky hub covers every region.

Sources

• Macduff distillery — Wikipedia.
• The Deveron (John Dewar & Sons).
• Historic Environment Scotland (Duff House); Clan Hay / Delgatie Castle.