Benromach 20 Year Old First Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel #238

Benromach’s is the story of a true craft distillery. The smallest of Speyside’s 50-odd distilleries, it was founded by Duncan McCallum and F.W. Brickman near Forres in Moray in 1898, right in the middle of a whisky boom. Unfortunately, their timing couldn’t have been worse. Just two years later, the infamous Pattison Whisky Crisis hit, taking Benromach — and plenty of other distilleries — down with it.

Over the next few decades, Benromach saw more comebacks than a retired rock band. It was acquired in 1911 by Harvey McNair & Co who ran it until the onset of the First World War. Shortly after the war it was revived by a new company, the Benromach Distillery Ltd. This continued until 1925, when things stood still again, before reopening in 1937 under the ownership of Associated Scottish Distilleries Ltd.

Eventually Benromach was purchased in 1953 by DCL, who then rebuilt the distillery in the 1960s and again in 1970s – though this didn’t save Benromach from closing yet again, and like so many other distilleries of the era, it was mothballed in 1983, closing its doors alongside icons like Port Ellen.

Luckily, that wasn’t the end of the story. Family-owned independent bottlers Gordon & MacPhail had always dreamed of running their own distillery. In 1993, they bought Benromach — but what they inherited was basically an empty shell. The previous owners had stripped it bare, right down to the fixtures and fittings.

Undeterred, the Gordon & MacPhail team set to work, rebuilding Benromach from the ground up while drawing on their generations of whiskymaking expertise. Their goal? To revive the classic Speyside style of the early 20th century — rich, elegant single malts with just a whisper of smoke. Back then, peat was the main source of fuel for drying barley, so even Speyside whiskies carried a subtle smokiness.

Luckily, along with the distillery, they also purchased the last remaining casks of old Benromach, and this allowed them to recreate the pre 60s style of whisky that Benromach is now well known for.

Five years later, in 1998, Benromach was officially reopened by none other than HRH Prince Charles. Since then, the distillery has been producing a range of beautifully balanced single malts, all made by a small, passionate team — just the way it used to be.

Their signature whiskies capture the soul of old-school Speyside: soft, fruity spirit with that delicate smoky edge. And if you’re in the mood for something a little more adventurous, the Contrasts range lets the team flex their creative muscles with experimental casks and processes.

From near ruin to a thriving, family-run distillery, Benromach is a true comeback story; it's proof that even the smallest distillery can make a big impact.