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Speyburn is a single malt whiskey from the Speyside region of Scotland. The original taste of the drink is given by local malt and spring water. The Aberlore distillery is one of the five facilities of Inver House Distillers Limited. The distillery has been successfully operating for more than one hundred and twenty years. Speyburn is one of the top XNUMX best selling whiskeys in the US.
Historical information
The Speyburn Distillery was built by John Hopkins & Company in 1897. The architect Charles Doig, known for his unconventional solutions, took part in the development of the project. The designer’s calling card is the pagoda-shaped air vent for the factory stove. The layout of the building has survived to this day.
In 1916, the company changed ownership, and in 1934, production was stopped for eight whole years due to the fact that two artillery regiments were quartered in the town, but then resumed in full. Own malthouse worked until the end of the 60s, after its closure, the plant switched to purchased raw materials. In 1991 the distillery was acquired by Inver House Distillers Limited. Most of Speyburn’s products are exported to the USA.
Production features
In production, little has changed over the past 100 years. Water still comes from the Granty Burn, a tributary of the River Spey. The plant is designed very compactly – the premises are located on several levels, which saves space. For fermentation, six containers of Oregon pine are used, each with a volume of 25 liters. Distillation takes place in copper cubes, the total length of the pipes is 100 m. 80% of the resulting spirits are sent to the company in the city of Airdrie, the remaining distillate is poured into wooden barrels and placed in warehouses for aging.
Awards
Whiskey Speyburn won gold medals in competitions:
- International Wine and Spirit Competition 2017;
- International Spirits Challenge 2016, 2017;
- San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2017, 2018;
- New York International Spirits Competition 2017.
Interesting fact
The owners of the distillery sought to release their first whiskey immediately after the founding – for the anniversary of Queen Victoria. However, there was a delay with the construction – the windows and doors were not ready by the appointed time. This did not stop the company’s management, and the workers of the distillery had to work in outerwear to escape the cold and piercing wind. However, the goal was achieved – the first batch of whiskey was bottled by the date of the celebration.
Types of whiskey Speyburn
Speyburn Bradan Orach, 40%
Classic malt scotch aged in bourbon barrels. The name is translated from the Gaelic language as “golden salmon”. The color of the drink is amber-golden. The aroma is dominated by apple and citrus shades. The taste is delicate and fresh with honey-vanilla notes, spices are felt at the finish. The brightest representative of the Speyburn line won about ten medals at tasting competitions.
Speyburn 10 years old, 40%
The drink is light gold color with amber reflections, aged in American oak barrels, where sherry and bourbon were kept. The aroma is fruity with a touch of lemon peel. Malt and candies are present in the mild taste, smoky shades join in the end.
Speyburn 15 years old, 46%
Aged 15 years in American and Spanish oak barrels, which give the drink a dark amber color. The aroma is dominated by bitter chocolate, which is set off by notes of dried fruits and lemon. The flavor range combines orange, vanilla and ginger tones. Whiskey received an excellent rating and a high 92 points from experts at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2018.
Speyburn Solera 25 years old, 46,3%
Whiskey is aged in sherry casks, where the drink acquires the aroma of berry tea, which is mixed with the smells of vanilla, lemon and mint. At the start, fruity sourness is felt, which is replaced by a slight bitterness of oak and almonds. The finish is long, with a pleasant honey sweetness.
