Balblair

Owner.. Inver house distillers.
Founded.. 1790.
Region.. Highlands.
Capacity.. 1 800 000 litres.
Tel.. 01862 821273
Web.. http://www.balblair.com
Visitor centre.

Tours.
Bottle your own.

1790
Balblair 1790
BALBLAIR DISTILLERY ESTABLISHED
Balblair Distillery is established in 1790 by local man, John Ross, although the first known records date from 1749.

1824
John Ross
THE ROSS FAMILY
John Ross is joined by his son, Andrew, and thereafter the sons and grandsons of John Ross operated the Balblair farm and distillery until the last years of the 19th century.

1862
Railway
RAILWAY OPENS
The Highland Railway Company build the Inverness to Ardgay line which opens on 1st June 1862.

1894
Balblair Gate
ALEXANDER COWAN
James Ross givesup the tenancy of Balblair which is transferred to Alexander Cowan, an Inverness wine merchant. Cowan brings Balblair into the 20th Century by building the present offices, still house, mash house, kiln and barns.

1895
Balblair Distillery & Railway Line
DISTILLERY RELOCATION
By now the railway had come to Balblair bringing coal for the still and boiler and barley for the malting. To take advantage of the railway line the Distillery is moved half a mile north to its current location.

1911
Distillery closes in 1911
MOTHBALLED
Tough economic times led to the distillery ceasing production.

1932
Balblair pagoda
THE LAST DROP
The last drop of whisky leaves the warehouses in 1932.

1939
Balblair Washbacks
OCCUPATION
It is probably just as well that the Distillery was dry, as the next occupants were the army, who commandeered the buildings at the outbreak of the Second World War until 1945.

1948
Balblair Workforce 1949
ROBERT JAMES “BERTIE” CUMMING
Robert James “Bertie” Cumming, a solicitor from Banff, purchases the distillery for £48,000.

1949
Production resumes 1949
PRODUCTION RESUMES
Production resumes for the first time since before the First World War.

1960
Balblair Distillery
LOCAL RAIL STATION CLOSES
The Edderton Railway Station closes in 1960.

1964
Balblair Aerial Shot
DISTILLERY EXPANSION
Balblair Distillery expands with extra warehouses and the first steam boiler.

1970
Balblair Distllery 1979
ALLIED DISTILLERS
Cummings sells Balblair Distillery to Hiram Walker, the company that later becomes Allied Distillers.

1980
Balblair Stills
DISTILLERY IMPROVEMENTS
Extensive development happens throughout the 1980’s. A new roof is put on the mash house where two new steel grist bins are installed.

1996
Balblair Distillery
INVER HOUSE DISTILLERS
Balblair Distillery is purchased by Inver House Distillers and so begins the newest chapter in the history of this timeless distillery.

2007
Balblair Cask 2007
VINTAGES TIMED TO PERFECTION
In 2007 the bold move is taken to only release Balblair as a Vintage Whisky. Every bottle of Balblair captures the essence of its Vintage year, the year in which it was distilled and laid down in casks.

2007
March
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1997, 1989 & 1979
Every Balblair cask is sampled, judged and hand-selected by our Distillery Manager, John MacDonald, to find its optimum maturation point, the point at which each Vintage says its ready. The first Vintages released are 1997, 1989 and 1979.

2007
December
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1986
Balblair Vintage 1986 is launched Exclusively for Global Travel Retail.

2008
January
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1975
Balblair Vintage 1975 is released in January 2008 as the replacement Vintage for 1979.

2008
July
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1990
Balblair Vintage 1990 is released as the Global Travel Retail exclusive in replace of Vintage 1986.

2008
October
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1965
Balblair launches its oldest offering to date, Balblair Vintage 1965. This Single Cask was distilled on 23rd March 1965 and matured in an American Oak ex-Sherry butt producing only 350 bottles.

2009
January
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1978
Balblair Vintage 1978 is released as the replacement of 1975.

2009
March
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1991
Balblair Vintage 1991 is introduced as the replacement for Vintage 1989.

2010
Balblair Vintage 2000 is launched to replace Vintage 1997.

2010
August
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1989 2ND RELEASE
The 2nd release of Balblair 1989 replaces Balblair 1991.

2010
October
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1993
Balblair 1993 is launched as a market Exclusive Vintage in Russia.

2011
February
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1995
Balblair Vintage 1995 is launched as a Swedish Exclusive.

2011
July
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 2000 2ND RELEASE
Balblair launches its 2nd release of Vintage 2000.

2011
September
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1991 2ND RELEASE
1991 2nd releases replace 1989 2nd release.

2011
October
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1995 2ND RELEASE
Balblair Vintage 1995 2nd Release is released as a Global Travel Retail Exclusive, replacing Vintage 1990.

2011
November
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 2001
Balblair Vintage 2001 replaces Vintage 2000 2nd release.

2011
Distillery Visitor Centre
November
BALBLAIR OPENS ITS DOORS
Balblair opens its doors to visitors offering personal Distillery tours, exclusive hand bottlings and shop. The ‘Time Capsule’ rooms allows visitors to learn more about the history of Balblair and experience the sights and sounds of particular past years

2012
February
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1989 3RD RELEASE
Balblair Vintage 1989 3rd release is launched in place of 1991 2nd release.

2012
February
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1975 2ND RELEASE
The 2nd release of 1975 replaces 1978 2nd release.

2012
June
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1996
Balblair Vintage 1996 is launched as a Global Travel Retail Exclusive.

2012
July
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 2002
Balblair Vintage 2002 is launched as the replacement Vintage for 2001.

2012
September
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1997 2ND RELEASE
A 2nd release of the popular Balblair Vintage 1997 is launched.

2012
November
BALBLAIR VINTAGE 1969
Balblair Vintage 1969 is launched firstly in the States, with globally availability rolling out later in 2013.

2013
November
INTRODUCTION OF NEW VINTAGES
For the first time since 2007, 3 brand new Vintages are introduced simultaneously; Balblair Vintage 2003, Vintage 1990 2nd Release and Vintage 1983, as well as the global introdcution of Balblair 1969.

2014
March
NEW VINTAGES EXCLUSIVELY FOR TRAVEL RETAIL
March 2014 saw Balblair release three new Vintages exclusively in the Travel Retail channel. Balblair Vintage 2004, matured in bourbon barrels, the first release of the Balblair Vintage 1999 and the Balblair Vintage 2004, which is matured in sherry butts

2014
June
BALBLAIR 1999 VINTAGE
This summer sees the launch of the second release of the 1999 Vintage from Balblair Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

 

Pictures courtesy of Balblair.