Dufftown's Seven Stills

If any region in Scotland is known for whisky, it is the Scottish Speyside. If you ask about the whisky capital of Speyside, Dufftown is probably the best answer to this question. This city stands out less because of its population, with only 1,700 inhabitants, than because of its density of whisky distilleries.

Dufftown Stands on Seven Stills

Between 1823 and 1897, seven whisky distilleries were established in the village, which coined the saying: “Rome was built on seven hills, Dufftown stands on seven stills”. The proverb refers to the seven whisky distilleries of Dufftown, next to Balvenie and Glenfiddich, created between 1823 and 1897. Two of these founding distilleries are now closed, Parkmore shutting down in 1931, and Convalmore closed for the final time in 1985.

Former and today producing distilleries in Dufftown are:

• Mortlach
• Glenfiddich
• Balvenie
• Dufftown
• Glendullan
• Convalmore (lost)
• Parkmore (lost)
• Pittyvaich (lost)
• Kininvie

So that the saying can still apply today, either Convalmore, still used for whisky maturation, or Allt-A-Bhainne a few miles away is generally counted as the seventh distillery in Dufftown.

The Capital of the Whisky Capital

Duffttown has not lost its reputation as the whisky capital. Whisky lovers not only gettheir money’s worth on guided tours of the distillery, but also in the Whisky Museum or at various annual whisky festivals .

History of Dufftown

The first distillery to open in Dufftown was Mortlach in 1823, owned by George Cowie. William Grant worked here for 20 years before starting his own distillery, Glenfiddich founded in 1887. The rest sprung up in quick succession. Balvenie was added in 1892 and still has its own malt storage facility. Convalmore joined in 1893 but was almost completely destroyed in a fire in 1909. After a reconstruction whisky was produced until 1985. The Dufftown distillery was built in 1895 and began with 2 stills, which were only expanded to the current number of 6 in the 1970s. Glendullan followed in 1897, its whisky mainly used for blended whisky.

Parkmore was added in 1894, but closed again in 1931 and the inventory was allegedly destroyed. The still house no longer exists, but the warehouses are still well preserved and are currently owned by Edrington. But they no longer contain Parkmore whisky. The fact that tiny Dufftown owned seven distilleries gave rise to the phrase: “Rome was built on seven hills, Dufftown stands on seven stills.”