Speyside Distillery

Though it bears the name of the renowned whisky producing region, Speyside distillery is a relatively recent addition to the area. It only began producing whisky in 1990, though the distillery had been in development for some time prior to this. It was first commissioned by George Christie in 1962, though it would be nearly three decades before it began production outside of the town of Kinguisse.

Christie had bought the land for this distillery near the head of the River Spey seven years beforehand. And in ‘62 he turned to local stoneworker Alex Fairlie to build the picturesque stone distillery which still stands. Fairlie completed this task in 1987, but it would be another three years before the distillery began production.

In 2001 the distillery was sold to a group of private investors which included George Christie’s son, Rickie Christies. The other two backers in the deal were Ian Jerman and Sir James Ackroyd. The following year they released a 10 year old single malt.

Speyside changed hands again in 2012 when it was sold to Harvey’s of Edinburgh. This would prove to be a welcome boost for the distillery, which came to benefit from the extensive Asian markets cultivated by Harvey’s. Two years after this an entirely new range was launched under the Spey brand.

The distillery is equipped with a 4.2 ton mash tun, four stainless steel washbacks, and a single pair of stills. Water for the distillery is drawn from the River Tromie which flows next to it. Speyside currently has a capacity of 600,000 litres of spirits a year. But that is expected to reach 1 million litres before long because of growing demand for its single malt in the Chinese market.

Today the core range of the Spey brand consists of the Royal Choice, Chairman’s Choice, Tenné, Trutina, and the Peated Fumare. The only core age statement bottling is the 18 year old single malt. The Tenné is first aged in ex-Bourbon barrels, then finished in Port casks for six months to add an extra layer of fruity sweetness. A light whisky, it is fruity throughout with a drying finish and an aftertaste of almonds. The peated Fumare contains strong maritime notes of sea salt and iodine, though is lighter than many island whiskies. Limited Editions include Byron’s Choice, first released in 2016, and cask strength versions of the Tenné, Trutina, and Fumare.