- BenRiach
The BenRiach distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery in the Speyside area of Scotland. It is operated independently by the BenRiach Distillery Company Limited, formed by two South African whisky enthusiasts Geoff Bell and Wayne Keiswetter and Scotch whisky expert Billy Walker.
BenRiach Awards
Distillery of the Year, Malt Advocate Whisky Awards 2007
Best Rare Speyside (BenRiach Authenitcus 21 Year Old), World Whisky Awards, Whisky Magazine 2007
Gold Medal (BenRiach 16 year old), International Wines and Spirits Competiton 2006
Silver Medals (BenRiach Heart of Speyside, 12 year old, Curiositas and Authenticus), International Wines and Spirits Competition 2006
Best Performing Small Business Award, under 25 employees, Enterprising Scotland Awards 2006
Best International Business Award, Enterprising Scotland Awards 2005
History
The BenRiach Distillery was established by the Grant family in 1892 next to the Longmorn Distillery. Soon after the distillery was mothballed in 1900 due to the collapse of a major Scotch Whisky purchaser, forcing many
Scotch whisky distilleries to close. The BenRiach remained closed until 1965 when it was reopened by Glenlivet Distillers Ltd. In 1978 the distillery changed hands, this time to Seagrams. Seagrams became part of Pernod Ricard in 2001 and the BenRiach distillery began operating for just three months of every year. In 2004 the distillery was acquired by an independent consortium, the BenRiach Distillery Company Limited. [www.scotchwhisky.net] [www.benriachdistillery.co.uk]
Jim Murray [www.benriachdistillery.co.uk]It was with delight, while sworn to secrecy, that I witnessed BenRiach gaining its independence, when a team led by the experienced and infectiously enthusiastic Billy Walker acquired the Distillery. This independence will allow BenRiach to unlock its secrets and bring its fine and surprising malts, officially to the market in their natural state for the first time. There cannot be a single true lover of whisky who will not rejoice because of it."
References
External Links
www.Benriachdistillery.co.uk
www.maltmanics.org
* [http://www.benriach.co.uk/ Informative BenRiach whisky distillery web site]
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