News
The Herald today, 23 April 2012, reported on the following article 150 years ago:
Distillery By-Products April 1862
Amidst the many products of breweries and distilleries, draff or dreg has been especially applied to dairy purposes, and cows in large towns receive, according to the sanitary reformers, far too large a supply of the refuse, which is believed not entirely devoid of exciting properties. But in Scotland, ''burnt ale'' is a favoutite draught or condiment for animals kept near distilleries. They greedily eat straw steeped in this mixture, or drink the ale with as much gusto and intemperance as human being often swallow stronger beverages. They manifest signs of intoxication, but cannot indulge long and much without suffering from apoplexy, the effusion of blood on the brain and spinal cord, disease of the liver, and exhibit singular symptoms, not unlike those of St Vitus' Dance.
Spring 2012
The Scotch Whisky industry continues to flourish and deliver quality export income to the UK economy. While there are still 1 or 2 older mothballed plants, most distilleries are running at maximum capacity. Many are now undergoing production expansion and there is a healthy demand for malted barley, cereals and oak casks for maturation. Tamdhu distillery at Knockando reopens soon and it remains to be seen whether the saladin box maltings are also recommissioned. Tamdhu distillery is in a beautiful location just off the Archieston to Granton on Spey main road, on the left just after the village of Knockando. Also close by are the Diageo distilleries of Knockando and Cardhu which are also well a worth a visit.
Spring barley planting is almost finished in record time and in good seed bed conditions. Some decent rainfall and following warm spring conditions will give good germination and rootlet development. An earlier and better quality harvest should follow and this could be a good year for Scottish malting barley particularly given the reported drought conditions in South East England.
Interest in new build malt distilleries continues although very few ever seem to see the light of day. On average a budget price for a new build 1 tonne Scotch malt Whisky distillery is between £ 900,000 and £1,000,000 and this does not include the cost of the building and electrical utilities. Investors need to be really careful with their costings and include raw materials, wood purchases and general running costs. Whisky cannot be sold as whisky for 3 years, so there are considerable on-costs without tangible income in the early stages.
Northern Fabricators in Elgin have now been taken over by Forsyths and, other than the Diageo owned Abercrombies, that leaves only MacMillans of Prestonpans as competing still manufacturers making competitive tendering a serious issue for any new build projects.
