Dufftown, one of the few distilleries where the spirit stills are larger than the wash stills, has a distinctive production history. Initially produced in the ‘Bell’s’ style, it featured a malt-heavy, nutty-spicy character. However, in recent years, changes have been made to cater to Diageo’s blending needs. The fermentation process has been lengthened, and clear worts are now used, leading to a more grassy new make.
Dufftown’s origins date back to 1896 when it was founded by Mackenzie & Co., the blending firm that already owned Blair Athol. It became part of Arthur Bell & Sons in 1933, and the distillery expanded to eight stills by 1979. This expansion helped meet the growing demand for Bell’s blends. In 1975, Bell’s built the Pittyvaich distillery next door to Dufftown, which was essentially operated as Dufftown 2 to further boost production. Pittyvaich closed in 1993 and was demolished in 2002.
Bell’s was acquired by Guinness in 1985, and in 1987, Diageo was formed through the merger of Guinness and Grand Metropolitan. By the time Roseisle distillery opened, Dufftown had been Diageo’s largest distillery. In 2006, Dufftown became part of the Singleton family, alongside Glendullan and Glen Ord, with its main market being the UK and Europe.
