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Distillery Profile: Tullibardine

Tullibardine was founded in 1949 by renowned distillery architect William Delmé-Evans.

Tullibardine (pronounced tully-bar-din) is a Highland distillery that was built in the post-war years following World War II. It celebrated its 75-year anniversary in 2024 and was one of just three distilleries founded in Scotland during the first half of the 20th century – Malt Mill (1908) and Inverleven (1938) being the other two.

 

The distillery is located near Blackford in Perthshire and takes its name from the local medieval Tullibardine chapel in a nearby village. Tullibardine translates as ‘lookout hill’ from Gaelic. This refers to a large hill that was used by ancient people to spot approaching enemies and tradespeople.

A Bit of History

Tullibardine was founded in 1949 by renowned distillery architect William Delmé-Evans. He converted a former brewery, which he had purchased in 1947, to become a single malt distillery. A brewery is said to have operated on the site since 1488, a date that is referred to by the brand. After selling Tullibardine in 1953, Delmé-Evans went on to design and build Glenallachie distillery in Speyside and revive Jura, both in the 1960s.

Brodie Hepburn, who took over from Delmé-Evans, were themselves bought out in 1971 by Invergordon Distillers. This became part of Whyte & Mackay in 1993. However, they abruptly mothballed the distillery in 1994 – mothballing is the process where a distillery ceases production but remains ready to go when needed.

A consortium purchased Tullibardine in 2003 and restarted production. They also released the first single malts from the distillery a couple of years later. All spirit had been previously used for blending. In 2011, the French company Picard Vins & Spiriteaux took control of the distillery. They remain the owners today and operate it under the name of Terroir Distillers.

Background

Tullibardine is known for its light, floral and fruity style of single malt whisky. It has been largely used in several different blends, especially in its early years. Later, it was an ingredient in Whyte & Mackay, specifically after they purchased the distillery. Now production is split between the Tullibardine single malt range and use in the Highland Queen blended Scotch whisky range.

Highland Queen was purchased by the current ownership three years before it purchased Tullibardine. The distillery has an award-winning range of bespoke single malts, which has remained largely unchanged since 2013. They are also known for their use of finishing in often unorthodox cask types such as Sauternes and various red wines.

The Geeky Bit

Tullibardine is equipped with a 6.2-ton stainless steel mash tun and they operate 27 mashes per week. There are 10 stainless steel washbacks and these run a fermentation time of 55-60 hours. They are also completely sealed – this helps the distillery to capture 2,400 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. There are four copper pot stills – 2x wash stills for the first distillation and 2x spirit stills for the second.

Water for production is taken from the Danny Burn in the nearby Ochil Hills. Gold was once mined in the hills and gives Tullibardine its tagline of ‘a drop of Highland gold’. There is also a small cooperage, blending facility and bottling line on site. The annual production capacity is three million litres.

One To Buy | Tullibardine 75th Anniversary Edition

This special whisky was bottled to celebrate the distillery’s big anniversary last year. It is formed of a pre-mothball era single cask from 1993 and is bottled at 31 years of age. This is bottled at the natural cask strength of 45.2% ABV. There are just 325 bottles.

Initial ageing was in ex-bourbon casks before a lengthy 8-year secondary maturation in a virgin American oak barrel. Expect notes of vanilla and honey permeated with citrus oil and blossom. These are backed up by an evolving wood spice that creates a lovely warmth, depth and complexity, plus a gripping dryness. Classy and delicious.

by Matt Chambers
Master of Whisky at Whisky 1901
30/04/2025

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**Disclaimer**: Important information. Please read carefully before making any purchase. This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Whisky 1901 Ltd is not a regulated financial institution and is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Any references to “investment,” “broker,” “adviser,” or similar terminology are used descriptively only and should not be interpreted as regulated financial services.

Whisky 1901 Ltd does not provide financial or investment advice, does not assess suitability, and does not make recommendations. Any decision to purchase whisky casks is made solely by the customer, based on their own judgment and, where appropriate, independent professional advice.

Whisky is sold as a physical, tangible asset and not as a financial product. Purchasing whisky carries risks that differ from regulated investments such as stocks or bonds, and customers should make purchase decisions independently and based on their own research.

Key Risks and Considerations:

1. Please be aware that whisky casks are unregulated in the UK and that the value is variable, meaning it can both increase and decrease. 

2. Understand that you have 14 days to change your mind and request a full refund under our cooling-off period.

3. All Clients of Whisky 1901 Ltd must be aged 18 years or older to make a purchase, in accordance with UK law and regulations regarding the sale of alcohol to minors.

4. Please note that the volume of spirit will decrease over time due to evaporation, known as “the Angels’ share”.

5. Please be aware that “New Make” spirit must be matured for a minimum of 3 years, during which its alcoholic strength could be reduced. However, for the product to be classed as “Whisky”, it must retain a minimum strength of 40%.

6. Please understand that as a buyer you may get back less than the amount paid. Additionally, past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance.

7. The sale price offered by Whisky 1901 Ltd includes a discretionary commercial markup. This markup is applied to the acquisition cost of the whisky and reflects both the costs incurred in connection with the provision of services including, but not limited to, storage, movement and maintenance of casks, insurance, and associated administrative and software infrastructure and a profit margin retained by Whisky 1901 Ltd in the ordinary course of business.

As a result of the markup applied, there is a material difference between the Company’s acquisition cost of a cask and the price at which it is sold to investors.
Investors should be aware that this markup creates a difference between the Company’s acquisition cost and the price at which the cask is sold. This spread may impact the potential for future returns and may affect the ability to achieve a profit on resale. Comparable casks may be available from other sources at different prices. Prospective purchasers should conduct their own due diligence and consider obtaining independent financial advice before making any investment decision.

8. Please recognise that the cask price can fluctuate and the price of casks can go down as well as up, neither of which are guaranteed.

9. Whisky casks are a long term maturing asset and therefore it is advised to be held for a minimum of 5 to 10 years.

10. Whisky casks are an illiquid asset. There is no guaranteed secondary market, no guaranteed timeframe for resale and no obligation on Whisky 1901 LTD to buy back or sell the cask on your behalf.

11. Please understand that the products and services we offer may not be suitable for all customers. If you have any doubts, we advise you to seek advice from an independent financial advisor.

12. Finally all whisky casks are stored in HMRC bonded warehouses in Scotland and are comprehensively insured against risks including fire, theft and accidental damage, insurance policy is updated annually. The customer understands that any cask investment can be physically verified via a company organised visits to warehouses where tastings can also be accommodated.

 

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