🥃 Edradour

For anyone interested in small-scale Scotch, Edradour is a distillery and single malt Scotch whisky brand in Pitlochry, Perthshire, known for its very small stills. Production is dated to 1825, 1835 or 1837 depending on the source. Since 2002 it has been owned by Signatory Vintage, which bought it from Pernod Ricard. The peated Ballechin is made on the same site.

History. According to Whiskypedia, a group of Perthshire farmers set up the distillery in 1837, and Duncan Forbes had been distilling whisky legally nearby since 1825; Difford's Guide dates the founding to 1835. In 1933 the distillery was bought by William Whiteley & Co, and the first single malt Edradour appeared in 1986. In 2002 Pernod Ricard sold it to Signatory Vintage. The new owners added warehouses, a bottling line and a visitor centre, and Ballechin has been made since 2003, with the first release in 2006.

How it's made. The mash is prepared in a single open tun with rakes and a plough, the wort is cooled in a replica of an old Morton's refrigerator, and the washbacks are wooden. According to Whiskypedia, the stills are tiny and lead to worm tubs. Difford's Guide calls them the smallest licensed commercial stills in Scotland, and output is about eight casks a week.

Range. The core is Edradour Highland Single Malt, including a ten-year-old version; the peated Ballechin is sold under its own name.

Why it matters to you. Sherry casks suit Edradour best, and bourbon casks suit Ballechin. The title of 'smallest distillery' may be disputed by new microdistilleries, so treat it with caution. By law Scotch is matured for at least three years and bottled at no less than 40% ABV. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.