The name Tamnavulin is the Gaelic translation of ‘mill on the hill’, named in part after the historic former carding mill which sits on the site of the distillery. Local farmers would bring their sheep fleeces here in the summer months to be made into wool.In the foothills of the Cairngorm mountain range is Tomnavoulin, the village home to around 40 residents and Tamnavulin Distillery. The distillery is located deep in the heart of Speyside, the most celebrated whisky-producing region in Scotland. Home to over half of Scotland’s operating malt whisky distilleries, Speyside is the perfect location to produce whisky. The unique microclimate of the region makes it a very temperate area of Scotland. This, combined with the abundance of rich farmland, makes it an ideal place to grow barley and mature whisky.Tucked away on the edge of the River Livet, the small group of skilled, time-served craftsmen and women at Tamnavulin Distillery began creating the signature Speyside malt over 50 years ago using the finest ingredients combined with age-old distilling expertise and sophisticated techniques.The spring water at Tamnavulin Distillery is naturally filtered through layers of ancient limestone rock, resulting in some of the purest water to be found in Scotland.
In 1839, founder Alexander Matheson’s only criteria was to find the best natural resources to make the finest whisky. At the time most distilleries were set up in the Speyside Valley, he settled on the banks of the Cromarty Firth in Alness in the Highlands and built everything from warehouses to railroads to ensure Dalmore would always have its own unique character. The Dalmore has been crafted using a 150 year old artisan process passed down through the generations, the distillery is known to have one of the oldest & rarest collection of highland whiskies. The distiller uses hand beaten copper stills of varying shapes and sizes, this process needs more skill, care and attention. The distinct maturation uses American bourbon casks from the Ozark Mountains, Gonzalez Byass select Sherry casks (only distillery permitted to use them) & the finest casks from renowned bodegas & wineries from around the world. The Dalmore continues to set world record at auctions with their limited edition releases, the most recent was at the Sotheby’s auction in 2020 where they sold two rare bottles of Dalmore 62 YO for £266,200 each.
