Towiemore Whisky Distillery

About the distillery

Towiemore is located in Botriphnie just outside Dufftown in Speyside, and is a distillery with a short but distinctive history. It was built in 1897, distilled for about thirty years, and along the way gained a reputation for fine, clean malt whisky. Today, the name is preserved by The Lost Distillery Company, which brings back the old style in a modern interpretation.

History

Towiemore was founded in 1897 in the parish of Botriphnie outside Dufftown. The initiative and financing came from Peter Dawson, while the buildings were erected by W. Cruickshank based on drawings by architect John Alcock, both based in Keith. The distillery opened in one of the strongest periods in the whisky industry, but ended up producing during one of its most difficult. The first mashing took place in November 1898, and the plant used water from Towie Burn along with its own malt floor and a large kiln. Around 1908, the malting house received two ventilation chimneys in a pagoda style, and the improved airflow made malting more efficient. After the distillation plant was closed, the malt floor continued to be used by Distillers Company Limited until it was also shut down in 1964. Later, the dam in the wooded area by the watercourse was removed in 2005 to allow salmon to pass upstream freely. Towiemore only managed to distill for about thirty years, but left behind a reputation as a light and sweet Highland-style whisky, valued both as pure malt and in blends.

Raw materials and production

Towiemore worked with barley as its raw material and used water from Towie Burn, which was described as a source reserved for the distillery. The barley was malted on a two-storey loft malt floor and dried on a perforated floor above a large kiln. The drying was done with a mixture of peat and coke. The peat was first burnt briefly so that the smoky aroma would not set in too strongly, and then coke was placed on top to complete the process. Once the malt was dry, the grist was slowly mixed with fresh water from the burn in a large mash tun with a rotating arm, forming a sweet wort rich in maltose. This wort then went on to the large washbacks, where fermentation took place. Distillation was carried out in two copper pot stills, a wash still and a spirit still, which were heated with coal fired heat. Both stills had rotating scour to avoid scorching, and the slightly rising lyne arm created more reflux and therefore a lighter spirit. The capacities were 17,000 litres for the wash still and 16,000 litres for the spirit still. It is a classic batch distillery with a clear focus on efficient malting and a cleaner, lighter spirit profile.

Maturation and cask types

In the modern interpretation, Towiemore is associated with second fill Oloroso Sherry casks. This points to a maturation where sherry-influenced wood is allowed to play a role without completely dominating, and where second-fill casks typically leave more room for the distillate’s own character. The material describes no further maturation conditions, finishing, or experiments beyond this cask use.

Whiskies

The current name in the range is Towiemore Whisky, marketed by The Lost Distillery Company. The interpretation is built on 100% single malts and is positioned in the Speyside style, while the historic identity is drawn from a distillery that was previously praised for its light and sweet Highland character. In other words, it is not a broad range from a living distillery, but a brand story about a revived style. The focus is on a single core interpretation rather than a large selection of different releases.

The style and tasting profile of the whiskies

Towiemore is described as a light and light Highland style, and both sweetness and a clean malt character are highlighted. The distillate is also linked to a nutty side, which ties in with the shape of the stills and the reflux created by the rising lyne arm. Overall, it gives the picture of a whisky that leans toward lightness, sweetness, and nuts rather than heavy smoke or pronounced peat.

Visiting the distillery

Towiemore does not appear as an open visit distillery with fixed tours, tastings, or a visitor centre. The material also does not provide opening hours or booking information. For whisky enthusiasts, it therefore comes down primarily to a historic name and an online option to buy the brand’s interpretation.

Philosophy and craft

The story of Towiemore rests on late-Victorian distilling practice: the right location, access to water, efficient malting, and a controlled, light spirit. Peter Dawson is placed at the centre as the driving, international whisky entrepreneur behind the project, and the distillery’s reputation was built on a clean, sweet, bright style. The modern interpretation takes its cue from the same historical identity and uses sherry casks to frame the old character.

Sustainability

The dam by the watercourse was removed in 2005 to ensure that salmon could migrate upstream.