Dalwhinnie, often characterized by its sweet and honeyed profile, does not start life with such a gentle character. It is one of the distilleries that purposefully creates a heavy, sulphury new make. The process involves using clear worts and long ferments, which contribute to a light waxiness in the background. However, the distillery’s stills are designed in a way that reduces copper interaction, and their lyne arms lead into worm tubs—this traditional method helps create the distinctive heavy new make character.
Location plays a significant role in Dalwhinnie’s whisky-making process. The distillery’s cold ambient temperature naturally cools the worm tubs, resulting in rapid condensation. In fact, Diageo recognized the importance of this effect in the creation of the sulphury new make. During a plant modernization in 1986, the original worm tubs were replaced with shell and tube condensers, which altered the whisky’s character. In 1995, the decision was made to reinstall the worm tubs, but a new style was introduced. These round, wooden worms were positioned at the front of the distillery for tourists to view, unlike the traditional placement at the back. The change in water flow through these new tubs affected the whisky’s character, but with some tweaks, the original style was restored.
Due to the sulphurous nature of Dalwhinnie’s new make, it takes around 15 years in refill casks for the whisky to mature and fully develop its signature character. Dalwhinnie’s location, near the highest point of the railway line connecting Inverness and Speyside, has historical significance. The settlement was a meeting point for three major drove roads where herds of Highland cattle would travel south to market, and it was also a favored location for whisky smugglers.
The first distillery in Dalwhinnie, founded by local businessmen John Grant, George Sellar, and Alexander Mackenzie, faced difficulties, and the plant eventually changed hands. In 1905, it was sold to American distillers Cook & Bernheimer, making Dalwhinnie the first Scotch distillery to be owned by a non-UK company. It later became part of the DCL group (now Diageo) in 1926 and was chosen as one of the original Classic Malts in 1988.
Despite its picturesque location and convenient transport links, Dalwhinnie is known for its harsh winters, with the village holding the title of the coldest settlement in the UK, with an average annual temperature of 6°C.
