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People and places don't just shape a Single Malt Scotch Whisky's flavour. They change the course of its future. Get a taste of how the whisky you love today came to be, with this brief Dailuaine timeline.
Founded by farmer William MacKenzie in a hollow by the Carron Burn. The name he chooses means ‘the green vale’ in Gaelic.
The Strathspey Railway arrives, opening Dailuaine to the world.
William MacKenzie dies and the distillery is let for a number of years to James Fleming.
William’s son Thomas becomes a partner in MacKenzie and Co.
Thomas Mackenzie sets out to modernise the distillery. Five years later it is one of the biggest in the highlands in terms of production.
It becomes the first distillery to be fitted with architect Charles Doig’s pagoda roof.
MacKenzie & Co converted to Dailuaine-Glenlivet Distillery Ltd.
The distillery merges again to form Dailuaine-Talisker Distilleries Ltd. Thomas MacKenzie had a substantial interest in Talisker distillery and so becomes chairman and MD of the new company.
A railway connection links the distillery with warehouses at Aberdeen and Imperial Distilleries and Carron, both of which MacKenzie part owned.
Thomas MacKenzie dies and the business is bought by a consortium of Buchanan, Dewar and John Walker and sons.
After a decade of recession and poor returns, fire destroys much of the distillery.
Production resumes, with power supplied by ingenious means, including waterwheels and steam engines.
Dailuaine is connected to the national grid.
A 12 month period of restoration work begins.
The distillery expands from four to six stills, and over the next five years the stillhouse is modernised.
The Strathspey railway is closed, and the much loved Puggies – steam engines which had served the distillery for decades – are given their last run.