Spirits of Long Forgotten Stills
Once alive with the hiss of copper and the scent of malted barley, these distilleries now stand silent — their stills cold, their warehouses empty, or their stones long since torn down. Some survive as homes or museums; others exist only in memory and in the rare bottles they left behind.
This Halloween at Whiskipedia, we raise a glass to the ghost distilleries whose presence lingers in every dram they left behind.
Banff
Destroyed by fire — twice — Banff Distillery’s story is as dramatic as its whisky was complex. Founded in 1824 on the Moray coast, it closed in 1983, and its remaining buildings were demolished after an explosion.
Banff’s few surviving bottles are earthy, spicy relics of the north — a distillery gone up in smoke but never forgotten.
Caperdonich
Once called Glen Grant No. 2, Caperdonich was built across the road from its more famous sibling. It was dismantled in 2010, but casks from its final years still emerge occasionally.
Its whiskies are soft and honeyed, a gentler echo of Speyside’s classic style — a spirit that whispers rather than shouts.
##[Littlemill Claimed to be Scotland’s oldest licensed distillery, Littlemill was founded in the 18th century and closed in 1994. Fire destroyed the remaining buildings in 2004, sealing its fate.
Yet its bright, fruity Lowland spirit lives on through a few rare casks — bottled proof that the past can still pour into the present.
Glenury Royal
One of only three distilleries ever to bear the royal seal, Glenury Royal was founded in 1825 and closed in 1985. Its whiskies are now scarce, known for their deep fruit character and balanced oak.
A regal ghost among distilleries, Glenury’s memory lingers in the occasional rare release from Diageo’s vaults.
Dallas Dhu
Unlike many of its peers, Dallas Dhu remains preserved — as a museum. Closed in 1983, it is now operated by Historic Environment Scotland, its stills frozen in time.
Visitors can wander through the silent mash tuns and spirit stills, imagining the life that once filled the air with malt and heat. Its whisky, when found, offers a taste of history itself.
St. Magdalene
Perched above the canal in Linlithgow, St. Magdalene (also known as Linlithgow) distilled for nearly two centuries before its closure in 1983. Apartments now occupy the old site, but bottles of its elegant, grassy Lowland whisky remain — reminders of a gentler era.
Convalmore
Tucked between Glenfiddich and Balvenie, Convalmore operated quietly in Dufftown until 1985. Its spirit was full-bodied and fruity, used mainly for blends, but a few single malt bottlings have revealed its exceptional depth.
Its warehouses still stand, now part of Balvenie’s grounds — a ghost watching over the living.
Imperial
Imperial in Speyside suffered a stop-start existence throughout its life before finally closing in 1998. Though its equipment has been dismantled, its successor, Dalmunach, now stands on the same site.
Imperial’s whiskies, rich and nutty, are increasingly rare — silent spirits from a still reborn.
🥃 The Spirit Lives On
These ghost distilleries may be silent, but their stories — and their whiskies — endure. Every rare bottle opened is a séance with the past: a meeting of memory, malt, and mystery.
So this Halloween, when you raise a dram, remember: some spirits never truly leave the still.