Tamnavulin Distillery, located in the glen of the River Livet in Speyside, was the second distillery to adopt the name “Glenlivet” in the 19th century, a time when the term was used widely to refer to whiskies from the region. The distillery was established during the whisky boom of the early 1960s to meet the growing demand for whisky, and it was built by Invergordon Distillers, which also owned other distilleries such as Bruichladdich, Tullibardine, and Jura. Tamnavulin’s production is known for its light, cereal-accented style, with large stills and short fermentation periods.
Despite its importance in the production of whisky for blends, Tamnavulin has never been known for its visitor facilities. The distillery, with its focus on production rather than tourism, once had a visitor center nearby but has since become more of a behind-the-scenes contributor to the whisky industry. The distillery was mothballed in 1995, following the decline of the whisky market, but was reopened in 2007 when Whyte & Mackay, its owner at the time, was acquired by Indian company United Spirits.
Tamnavulin continued to serve as a key supplier of whisky fillings for blends, and in 2014, Whyte & Mackay was sold again, this time to Philippine-based Emperador. Despite the ownership changes, Tamnavulin’s primary role remains as a producer of high-quality whisky for blends, with little fanfare surrounding its single malt releases.
