Tamnavulin Distillery
Tamnavulin Distillery is a Speyside distillery located in the hamlet of Tomnavoulin deep in the Livet Glen, near Ballindalloch. Its name derives from the Gaelic for "Mill on the Hill," a reference to a carding mill that once occupied the site before the distillery was built. Established in 1966 by a subsidiary of Invergordon Distillers to supply malt spirit for blended whiskies, Tamnavulin was mothballed in 1995 and relaunched in 2007. Since then it has found considerable commercial success with an accessible, cask-finished range offered at competitive price points. The distillery operates three wash stills and three spirit stills, with a potential capacity of approximately 4 million litres per year.
Tours
Not available
On-site Shop
No shop
Online Shop
Available
History
Tamnavulin-Glenlivet Distillery Co. Ltd — a subsidiary of Invergordon Distillers Ltd — built the distillery in 1966 at the height of a period of Scottish whisky expansion driven by strong demand from the blending industry. The facility was designed primarily to supply malt spirit for blended whiskies including Whyte & Mackay, Crawfords, and Mackinlay's, making it a workhorse producer rather than a prestige single malt operation.
In 1993, Whyte & Mackay acquired Invergordon Distillers, bringing Tamnavulin into the Whyte & Mackay portfolio. The distillery was mothballed in May 1995 as part of industry rationalisation during a period of excess supply. It sat silent for over a decade.
In 2007, United Spirits purchased Whyte & Mackay and restarted Tamnavulin, breathing new life into the distillery and its substantial maturing stocks. In 2014, Alliance Global — a Philippines-based conglomerate — acquired Whyte & Mackay for £430 million, and Tamnavulin has remained within that group since. The brand was formally relaunched for consumers in 2016, coinciding with the distillery's 50th anniversary, initially as a Double Cask single malt. Subsequent years brought the Sherry Cask, Port Cask, and Wine Cask expressions, each exploring a new dimension of the base Livet Glen spirit. The tagline "Single Malt, Double Flavour" encapsulates the brand's cask-finishing philosophy.
Production
Tamnavulin operates three wash stills and three spirit stills across nine washbacks, producing up to approximately 4 million litres of pure alcohol per year. Water is sourced from springs in Easterton, high in the Livet Glen — a naturally filtered source that contributes to the clean, light character of the new make spirit. The distillery uses standard copper pot stills and modern condenser equipment. The accessible, fruity character of Tamnavulin's spirit is deliberately suited to cask finishing, absorbing the character of ex-bourbon, sherry, port, and wine casks without being overwhelmed.
Tasting Character
Tamnavulin produces a grassy, floral, and fruity Speyside spirit: fresh apple, pear, toffee, honey, and light hay define the base. This clean, accessible platform makes the distillery's cask-finishing approach highly effective:
Double Cask: American oak ex-bourbon barrels plus American oak ex-sherry casks combine to add vanilla richness and a gentle dried fruit note over the fresh Speyside base.
Sherry Cask: Extended Oloroso sherry cask maturation brings warming Christmas spice, raisin, and dark fruit into the equation.
Port Cask Edition: A red fruit dimension — cherry, cranberry — introduced by port pipe finishing.
White Wine Cask Edition: Gentle citrus, floral brightness, and a crisp, dry finish from white wine barrel maturation (Sauvignon Blanc).
What They Produce
Notable Bottlings
- Tamnavulin Double Cask£28.50 — Core expression, bourbon plus sherry cask, accessible and sweet
- Tamnavulin Sherry Cask£31.50 — Oloroso maturation, Christmas spice and dried fruit
- Tamnavulin Port Cask Edition£31.50 — Port pipe finish, red fruit and cherry notes
- Tamnavulin White Wine Cask Edition£32.50 — Sauvignon Blanc cask, crisp and floral
- Tamnavulin Cabernet Sauvignon Cask£35.50 — Red wine cask variant
- Tamnavulin Grenache Cask£28.50 — Grenache wine barrel finish
- Tamnavulin 50th Anniversary (2016) — First consumer-facing release to mark the founding
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Visiting
Not open to visitors. No visitor centre or public tours are available. An online shop operates through the official website at tamnavulinwhisky.com, offering the full core range for home delivery.
Official Website
