Braeval distillery

The Braeval whisky is generally characterized by honey sweetness paired with a fine spiciness. Braeval is at an altitude of 355 meters and is currently the highest distillery in Scotland.

Braeval Whisky

The Braeval or Braes of Glenlivet Distillery is a whisky distillery in Chapeltown of Glenlivet, Banffshire, Scotland, which has been producing whisky again since 2008 after a long decommissioning period. Braeval is at an altitude of 355 meters and is currently the highest distillery in Scotland.

House Style

What does Braeval Single Malt taste like? The Braeval whisky is generally characterized by honey sweetness paired with a fine spiciness.

Manufacturing

How is Braeval whisky produced?The water for the Braes of Glenlivet comes from the Preenie and Kate springs. Braeval works with a stainless steel mash tun and uses 15 stainless steel fermentation tanks. Distillation is carried out in two coarse stills and four fine stills. The stills are heated indirectly by steam.

The distillery does not have its own warehouses. The New Make is diluted with water and then transported by tanker to Keith, where it is filled into barrels. There are no bottlings of this distillery to date, most of the production goes to Chivas Regal Blended Scotch Whisky. There are regular bottlings from independent bottlers.

History

The locals still rumors that the Braeval region of “The Braes of Glenlivet” was one of the hotspots of black distillery in the 18th and 19th centuries. The practice of illegal schnapps distillation presumably extended into the 21st century and may still be practiced today. The remote area on the edge of the Cairngorms, the eastern Highlands of Scotland, was ideal for illegal whisky production. It wasn’t until 1960 that a road to the region was built, and twelve years later the Braeval Distillery opened its doors.

However, the distillery is still closed to visitors today. The then Canadian company Seagram was responsible for the choice of the location, which invested heavily in the Scottish whisky industry. After the decline of Seagrams, Chivas Brothers / Pernod Ricard took over the distillery and shut it down as soon as it was taken over. Braeval slept in a deep sleep for six years. Today it runs at full capacity again and produces malt whisky for blends. The original name “Braes of Glenlivet” was later exchanged for Braeval to avoid confusion with the nearby Glenlivet Distillery.

Braeval factsheet

Can I tour Braeval?

No, unfortunately Braeval distillery is not open to the public for tours