2013: THE
REBIRTH OF AUCHNAGIE-THE LOST
DISTILLERY OF YESTERYEAR
Auchnagie Distillery: BORN 1812- DEMISE 1911
Auchnagie Distillery existed for almost 100 years, starting work as a remote farmhouse distillery and ending its days as, arguably, the jewel in the crown of a global whisky empire. It had at least seven different owners and was silent for large parts of its life. This was not unusual for small-scale 19th-century distilleries, as their precarious existence was often at the mercy of lack of water, lack of money, changes to duty laws, repeated increase in taxes and local demand for the product.
There were several other distilleries that, in their heyday, produced outstanding whiskies. From 1823, when distillation was legalised, all good whiskies were Blended Malts, supplied at very high ABVs, averaging 65%. Arthur Bell even decried 63.5% ABV whiskies as just not good enough. These were all imbibed with soda, water and even ice. Swiss major Schweppes Tonic Water, which began in 1783, soon became the world's 'original soft drink' and by 1823, launched its Soda as the ideal addition to the high-ABV whiskies, although focussed primarily on its well-to-do clientele. Its Soda made a huge impact on the market, while also providing data as to how it was best employed. This led to a surge in the blended whisky market of that era, promoting known whiskies as well as its own sales.
A couple of opportunistic former Diageo high-end employees used this occasion and set up a company in 2013 to try and replicate the lost whiskies of yore, based on available data and deeply researched old folktales- that could stand the test of verification- narrated by founding distillery workers through the generations to define each unique Whisky and its story from the very beginning. The name: The Lost Distillery Company.
The Lost Distillery Company
The Lost Distillery Company is a subsidiary of Crucial Drinks, founded by former Diageo employees Scott Watson and Brian Woods in
2013. Their aim is to explore and celebrate the dozens of Scottish distilleries
that have gone out of business at various times during the last century.
Working closely with Professor Michael Moss of Glasgow
University and his team of archivists, they are able to create modern
interpretations of the spirit once produced by stills now lost to the mists of
time.
By scouring historical documents, tax records and
contemporaneous accounts, they are able to build up a detailed picture of each
distillery, taking everything into account from water source to still shape and
the casks used for maturation. Once this profile has been created, their
whisky-making team brings the spirit to life by blending malts sourced from
current distilleries.
The re-creation of spirits few, if any, alive today
have tasted is a fascinating concept, though the accuracy of any such endeavour
can’t really be judged for obvious reasons. Best then to view this range
simply as malts inspired by distilleries of old and judge each by the quality
of the liquid in the bottle.
Auchnagie Distillery
existed for almost 100 years, starting work as a remote farmhouse distillery
and ending its days as, arguably, the jewel in the crown of a global whisky
empire. It had at least seven different owners and was silent for large parts
of its life. This was not unusual for small-scale 19th-century distilleries, as
their precarious existence was often at the mercy of lack of water, lack of
money, changes to duty laws and local demand for the product.
Auchnagie Distillery (or
Tullymet as it was later known) was located near the hamlet of Tulliemet,
approximately 6 miles South East of Pitlochry in Perthshire. The land in this
area is rural, a mixture of pasture and rolling hills, with an ample supply of
water flowing off of the high ground. Local farms in the area (from the 17th
century) were built next to the streams, and many generated power by water
wheel. Auchnagie Distillery augmented its water supply by constructing a water
pool just above the distillery site – the remains of which can be seen to this day.
There were several
distilleries in the local area and at least 3 in the immediate vicinity of
Tulliemet. Knowledge of distillation seems to have been handed down through the
generations, and several local farming families were involved in illegal distilling.
This activity centred on the remote Loch Broom, where water and peat were in
ready supply for those who worked the unlicensed “stells.” One local farmer
constructed a barley “steep” underground, and covered the workings with wood
and soil. Sheep grazed over the construction – this remained undiscovered by
“the excise” and continued to provide malted barley well into the 19th century.
The precise location of
where Auchnagie Distillery once stood is somewhat confusing, but research we
believe, has identified the place. Tulliemet boasted three distilleries –
Milton of Tulliemet, Braes of Tulliemet and Auchnagie. Alexander Duff, the
owner of Milton, also owned a warehouse at Wester Auchnagie farm – which led
many previous authors to assume the distillery was located there. In fact, it
was warehousing only – we believe that Auchnagie Distillery was located half a
mile away, at Easter Auchnagie. Just to confuse things further, Auchnagie
changed its name in later years – to Tullymet! Still with us?
Auchnagie was reliant on water for both power and production. The water came from Loch Broom and flowed
past the distillery via the Auchnagie Burn. The burn itself was deepened,
widened and rock-lined for 500 metres above the distillery. The water had a
particularly high mineral content, having been filtered through peat moss and
granite. It was understood to be particularly good for making malt whisky.
“This distillery is favourably situated, and the water – a very important factor in the manufacture
of whisky – is received from the springs of the Braes of Tullymet, and is
especially suited for the making of Malt Whisky. The Whisky made here is of the
very highest quality, and possesses the soft, mellow flavour now so generally
approved of by connoisseurs of fine Scotch Whisky.” Alfred Barnard – Whisky
Distilleries of the United Kingdom.
Auchnagie’s channelled water source drained into a
specially constructed pool, with a sluice gate positioned at the bottom to
control the flow. This construction helped prolong the distillation season. The
pool is still visible on modern Google Maps. Barnard noted that there was no
production when he visited as it was too warm for mashing – this was considered
the norm, as Auchnagie, like other water-wheel-powered distilleries, was entirely
at the mercy of rainfall for power supply. Also, with no temperature control on
yeast activity, there was always the potential to lead to “blown” or “stuck”
fermentation.
Bere barley (also referred to as beer or bygg) was the
most common strain used. This was an ancient strain brought to Scotland by the
Vikings. Availability of local and surplus barley generally governed the
beginning and end of the distilling season. Poor harvests led directly to
shorter seasons, or in extreme cases, no production at all. As an ingredient of
whisky, its major drawback was the inconsistent size of grains. This created
unevenly malted barley, leading to partially malted barley being mashed adding
a greenish flavour note to the flavour of the whisky.
Commercial yeast was not available until the 1870s,
although its influence in fermentation was understood. Farmhouses could
maintain a homemade yeast culture made from potatoes and sugar. Alternatively, they could harvest a culture from the remnants of the washback. However, this
technique was prone to contamination with bacteria and was not an efficient
way to initiate fermentation.
Auchnagie peats were cut from the high ground above the
distillery, adjacent to Loch Broom. Each family devoted time to securing their
fuel for home and for the industry. They were dried on the high ground and carted
down to Tulliemet. The major components of the dried peats were heather and
moss, which gave off a delicate, perfumed note when tossed on the fire.
The copper mash tun would have been direct-fired by a
mixture of coke and dried peat. The tun itself would have been made of wood and
in the earlier years probably an oak puncheon. Later on, a purpose-built mash
tun of around 2000 gallons was installed. There was a resident blacksmith in
Tulliemet. Alexander Cameron was particularly skilled at making “vessels for
the distillation of spirits,” and was in all likelihood the local purveyor of
unlicensed distilling equipment in earlier times. Cameron also transported and
sold his whisky to local taverns in Tulliemet and Ballinluig. Once Auchnagie
was licenced, Cameron supplemented his income by renting a room in his house to
Nicolas Oliver, who was the assistant Exciseman at Auchnagie, and who later
moved to work at nearby Ballechin Distillery.
The washback would have been of wooden construction and
in early years at least, unlikely to be purpose-built. Early distilleries on
this scale would have used a puncheon or other portable vessel. The main
problem would have been keeping the vessel free of yeast bacteria from previous
batches of wash. Yeast works best in ambient temperatures and in the absence of
any impurities. A build-up of bacteria would contaminate the wash with pungent
farmyard off-notes. If this was in sufficient concentration it could halt yeast
activity altogether, with potential loss of the entire batch.
In pre-industrialised times the size of the still
dimensions and capacity were purpose-built to fit the space where they worked.
In many instances, they were similar to other stills in the area. A fair
comparison can be made with Edradour Distillery, and with Grandtully. Stills
were constructed inside existing farm buildings, which generally restricted
their height and capacity. Whisky from Highland distilleries was considered
particularly desirable because, unlike Lowland Distillers, they used much
smaller stills. It was long understood that whisky from the “sma” stills was
far superior. While this may be true, it may also have been a reflection of the
quality of Lowland Whiskies in the 19th century.
Legislation on still size changed several times between
1780 and 1823. For highland distillers from 1823, they were permitted to use a
still of “not less than 40 gallons,” (the spirit still) providing they also
operated a still of 500 gallons – no doubt the wash still. Therefore it’s fair
to assume that stills were generally just over the minimum size permitted, and this
only changed when purpose-built still rooms appeared as demand for whisky
increased.
From the chart, we can deduce that there is no correlation
between still size and the production of spirit. Output depended to a larger extent
on how many months per year the distilleries operated, as they were highly
dependent on local barley, and more importantly, local water supply. If
Auchnagie was producing 19000 gallons in 1887 and had a capacity of 24000, then
we can assume the distillery worked for around 9 months, from September to May. These
figures equate to 2111 gallons per month or in modern measurements, to 9288
litres, which would today fill around 77 ex-bourbon barrels per month.
Successive owners improved Auchnagie’s capacity, not by
adding bigger stills but more likely they developed techniques to lengthen the
season, such as adding the water pool or providing a consistent supply of
barley.
Whisky distilled in the early 19th century was
generally not aged. Duty was paid on proof gallons produced – there was no
incentive to watch it mature and evaporate. Whisky was stored in a cask as it was
a means of transporting the goods to market. Cask size was usually octave or
firkin. In the second half of the 19th century, hogsheads and butts appeared in
greater numbers. Whisky in the earlier 19th century was generally all sold
locally, and in casks. Retailers would dispense from the cask, and customers would
arrive with a receptacle which would be filled accordingly. Commercially made
bottles were not available until the late 1880s – their appearance, plus the
invention of cork stoppers transformed the industry and its means of shipping
the product.
Industrialisation and completion of the Highland
Railway in 1863 created the means of transporting greater quantities of produce
to a much wider area, including the wholesale markets in Edinburgh and Perth.
Aside from whisky, these merchants traded in Wine, Rum,
Sherry and Madeira, and were the source of different types of casks bought, sold
and refilled with Scotch whisky. The railway construction boom of the mid-19th
century connected Perth with Inverness, with a station opening at Ballinluig in
1865. The main line followed the Spey River for much of its length, and several
branch lines were built through communities now famous for whisky production.
The proposed branch line from Tulliemet down to Ballinluig was never built,
which meant transportation of bulk whisky down to the railway continued on
horseback until the distillery ceased production in 1910.
There is evidence from Auchnagie’s later history, that
some whisky was matured for a number of years. Local retailers sold whisky at
“Never less than five years old,” and John Dewar and Sons offered a facility
for storing privately purchased casks for a minimum of four years. If there was
a taste for older whisky in the late 19th century, then eight years old was
considered an extremely mature spirit. Remember Millard’s Black Dog, first sold in
India as an 8-YO?
Compulsory bonding of two years was not brought into
practice until 1915, later expanded to three years in 1916. This was a
compromise negotiated by the Wine and Spirit Brand Association (which became
the Scotch Whisky Association in 1940) with Lloyd George, who deplored alcohol
consumption, particularly in the workplace and especially in wartime
industries.
Key
Individuals in Auchnagie History
The Dick family: The Dicks, Captain and Dr, were the
land-owners of Wester and Easter Auchnagie, and thus the likely landlords of
the Auchnagie Distillery. A descendent of the Dick family was known to enter
the warehouses and tap casks for his personal supply. He was rumoured to hide
bottles of whisky around the estate – some of which may still be waiting to be
re-discovered in the hills above Tulliemet.
James Duff: James Duff is attributed as the first owner
from 1827 to 1933, he is understood to have built the licensed Tullymet
(Auchnagie) distillery on his land.
Alexander Forbes: Forbes operated a distillery at
Milton of Tulliemet from 1825 to 1837, and owned a warehouse at Wester
Auchnagie Farm._Forbes was later instrumental in licensing_ Edradour
Distillery. His brother James Forbes was involved with Grandtully Distillery.
Duncan Scott: Operated the distillery from 1860 to
1862, and was probably responsible for the construction of the water pool at
Easter Auchnagie. Scott was sequestrated in 1862, and the distillery then had
an additional 4 tenant distillers over the next 25 years.
Peter Dawson: Dawson owned the distillery for one year
– 1887 to 1888. Dawson was a well-known whisky merchant and something of a
showman. He made headlines by bottling the largest vatting of whisky then
recorded – some 23,000 gallons for his own brand – Peter Dawson Blended Scotch.
A blend of “Titanic proportions” according to a publication of the time.
Dawson was given a platform by, of all organisations,
the Temperance Association! Dawson noted that there was no point in attempting to
cure the drunkard from the purely religious or moral sides. “…his emotional
power is impaired, his willpower weakened. He must be dealt with from the
physical side.”
“Let temperance reformers
turn their attention to… villainous decoctions which, sold under the honourable
designation of Scotch whisky, constitute what Carlyle has designated the
“insidious brain stealer and soul paralyser.” And focus on… The influence of
purely-blended and well-matured Scotch whisky, such as Mr Dawson stands sponsor
for. Dawson is working as earnestly in the temperance cause as the most rabid
lecturer of the Temperance League. These men have failed with religious
appeals, moral suasion, and pledges to reduce drunkenness. The latest returns
show that the evil is on the increase."
Dawson further noted… “I
believe that public taste is tending towards blends rather than to single
whiskies, and that skilfully blended liquor of ascertained and undoubted
maturity would speedily displace those immature inferior, and un-wholesome spirits
which are frequently put on the market.
I am working in the cause
of temperance, because if men and women must have whisky, then, I say, let them
have it pure and the best that can be manufactured. It is the immature and
drugged whiskies that do the harm, steal away men’s brains, and create
appetites and quenchless cravings."
John Douglas: Douglas was
“The Exciseman” residing in what is now Woodside Cottage at Easter Auchnagie.
Barnard noted an idyllic picture of Douglas’s life in 1887 when he tells us
that the Exciseman “informed us that he leads quite a pastoral life here, and
spends his summer days in his garden and little farmyard”.
Tommy Dewar (Whisky Tom): The final owners of Auchnagie Distillery (now renamed Tullymet) were the Perth -based whisky merchants, John Dewar and Sons. Tommy Dewar (youngest son of John Dewar Senior) lived in London from 1885 and within two years, had established Dewar’s Whisky as one of the top-selling brands in the capital. Based on this success, Dewar’s purchased Auchnagie Distillery, thus adding “distillers” alongside “blenders and bottlers” to their business.
In 1892 Tommy Dewar
embarked on a World tour, aimed at promoting Dewar’s Whisky in the emerging
markets of North America, Europe and Asia. Dewar visited 26 countries in two
years and returned with 32 importer agreements, plus a Royal Warrant to supply
Queen Victoria. Dewar’s was now a global brand – a tremendous success for Tommy
Dewar. The distillery had its own brand called “Old Tullymet,” which gave it
identity in an increasingly crowded whisky market. However, it was clear that
the ambitions of John Dewar and Sons were higher than ever – what did “Whisky
Tom’s” achievements overseas mean for their distillery at Auchnagie?
Demand for Dewar’s growing
array of whisky brands was such that one small distillery could never produce
enough whisky to supply demand. In 1894, Soon after Tommy Dewar’s return,
distillery architects Charles Doig and Co were commissioned to build a
distillery at Aberfeldy. This effectively meant the end of the road for the
distillery at Auchnagie. Aberfeldy Distillery opened in 1896 and production
ceased at Auchnagie for good in late 1910, and the building was noted as “vacant”
the following year. In 1912 the equipment and machinery were removed, thus
ending over a century or legal distilling history in the hamlet of Tulliemet.
Auchnagie Distillery
enjoyed the best and worst of times – it survived for almost 100 years and was
witness to tremendous change in the whisky industry. Railway construction,
advances in steam motive power, development of the column or “Coffey” still,
advances in yeast technology, and the expansion of the industry from domestic
products to global brands to name but a few. The number of different owners
illustrates how precarious a distillers’ lot could be – several were declared
bankrupt, or simply gave up the tenancy due to lack of money, barley or water.
The turnover of tenants had one additional consequence – none of them possessed
the finance to upgrade or modernise the distillery.
Auchnagie’s location was far from ideal, but that was
not the principal reason for its eventual closure. From a post-industrial
perspective, Auchnagie was old, small and inefficient, particularly compared
with the modern industrial distilleries constructed by Charles Doig. Transport
links were poor and outdated.
Tommy Dewar’s achievements seemed to guarantee security
– although the reality was somewhat different. Demand for Dewar’s whiskies
outstripped the capacity of Auchnagie, and when compared with their new
distillery in Aberfeldy, the asset in Tulliemet appeared an expensive
liability.
Today, the water pool remains and can be inspected as
it is on Atholl Estates land, but it is an overgrown weed bed. The old water
course is stone-lined for quite a distance upstream, creating a deep channel
for funnelling water down to the distillery. The pool itself is pear-shaped,
approximately 25 metres long, and 15 metres at its widest. There are the
remains of a concrete sluice gate at the bottom.
Woodside Cottage remains and is occupied – the garden
gives amazing views and one can imagine John Douglas spending his summer
tending his vegetables during the silent season. A bonded warehouse remains
intact, opposite Woodside Cottage, and is currently used as a garage.
Aside from some old stone walls, there is little
evidence of the old distillery itself, or the renowned whisky it produced.
Until now.
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THE DISTILLERIES
Auchnagie
Stratheden
Gerston
Jericho / Benachie
Lossit
Towiemore
AUCHNAGIE
The water source, Loch Broom really put Auchnagie on
the map. As it silently flowed past the distillery, naturally high in mineral
content, it remained so even after being filtered through peat moss and
granite. It laid the foundation for
making Scotch whisky very mellow and flavourful.
The Spirit
Appearance: The colour in the Glencairn glass is pale
yellow or light gold, like bales of straw in the barn loft after summer
harvesting. To complete the image, the Scotch is just slightly opaque. The legs
are long and reluctant and thick and inviting. They are actually fun to sit and
watch (if it wasn’t so much more fun drinking it!).
Nose: The nose is light and airy and filled with floral
notes. There is also a presence of honey and fresh fruit. It’s a medium nose that’s easily detected.
Palate: On the palate, Auchnagie Scotch feels light, in
spite of a creamy mouthfeel. At 46% ABV, it drinks slightly hot and that is a
surprise. But it’s not an aggressive heat, but rather a warm, inviting and
comforting one. It’s one that makes you think you need a more generous pour on
the next round. There are notes of honey and fruit and light spice. It is
primarily a mid-mouth experience that is very refreshing. A medium to long finish eventually appears as
the light spice turns to more of a peppery presence while asserting itself at
the back of the mouth and even onto the lips.
This Scotch is never pushy and does not overstay its welcome. It does, however, leave you wanting more. This Scotch, at an excellent ABV, is not chill-filtered and makes you want to put it away to stretch its longevity in your hidey-hole. A kill at £ 50-55.
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