Everything you need to know about BenRiach Distillery

A brief History

BenRiach, Speyside Region, Scotland. Founded in 1898.

Speyside Tradition with a Wild Streak

BenRiach doesn’t play by the usual Speyside rules. Sure, it’s got the location — nestled in the heart of Speyside near Elgin — but that’s where the similarities stop. Instead of leaning only into gentle, fruity malts, BenRiach explores everything from peated whiskies to triple distillation to experimental cask finishes.

The distillery was originally founded in 1898 by John Duff, but production stopped just two years later when the whisky market crashed. For decades, it sat mostly silent — used to support blends, not bottles. But in 2004, a group of whisky fans led by Billy Walker revived BenRiach as an independent brand, and suddenly the world noticed. What followed was a flood of innovative, full-flavoured single malts.

Today, BenRiach continues to push boundaries under the ownership of Brown-Forman, the folks behind Jack Daniel’s. It's creative, curious, and just a little rebellious.

Explore All Speyside Whisky

Taste Profile


Fruity	Spicy	Peaty / Smoky

BenRiach’s biggest strength? Variety. You’ve got traditional Speyside fruitiness, Highland-style peat, and layers of spice and sweetness thanks to their love of unusual casks.

BenRiach is known for its adventurous single malts, often matured in a mix of bourbon, sherry, port, and rum casks. Key flavour characteristics include:

Lush orchard fruits and baked apple
Sweet honey and warming spice
Earthy peat and rich smoke in peated expressions
Nutty oak and a hint of toasted coconut from exotic casks

Top 4 Flavour Profile Ingredients

	Dried Fruits (Raisins, Figs, Dates)
	Peat Smoke
	Honey
	Oak / Wood Spice

Popular Bottlings from BenRiach

Expression	Style	Tasting Notes
BenRiach 10 Year Old	Unpeated, classic	Pear, vanilla, malt biscuit, touch of spice
BenRiach Smoky Ten	Peated, bourbon/sherry	Campfire smoke, apple, honey, soft oak
BenRiach 12 Year Old	Unpeated, sherry cask	Raisins, cinnamon, orange peel, chocolate
BenRiach The Twelve	Sherry, bourbon, port	Rich fruit, cocoa, nutmeg, soft vanilla
BenRiach The Smoky Twelve	Peated, layered casks	Sweet peat, figs, roasted coffee, orange marmalade

They also release limited edition cask strength and wood finish bottlings, often featuring rum, Marsala, or Tokaji casks — great for collectors and flavour hunters.

Benriach 25 Year Old Malt Whisky Authenticus Peated

The Distillery

BenRiach Distillery 
BenRiach Distillery, Longmorn, Elgin, Moray, IV30 3SJ, Scotland

Open in maps

https://www.benriachdistillery.com/

0131 456 2681

Visitor Information

Address: BenRiach Distillery, Longmorn, Elgin, Moray, IV30 3SJ, Scotland
Telephone: Usually available via appointment for tours
Visitor Centre:
- The distillery has a small visitor experience
- Booking in advance is strongly advised
- Private tastings and behind-the-scenes tours offered seasonally
- Elgin is a short drive away with nearby transport options

Ownership and History

Current Owner:

Brown-Forman (since 2016)

Key Historical Milestones:

1898: Founded by John Duff
1900–1965: Periods of silence and limited production
2004: Relaunched by Billy Walker and partners as an independent brand
2016: Acquired by Brown-Forman
Today: Known for innovation, diverse cask finishes, and peated Speyside expressions

BenRiach, Glendronach, and Glenglassaugh now form a trio of beloved distilleries under Brown-Forman’s care — each with their own style.

Distillery Facts

General Information

Founded: Established in 1898 by John Duff on the site of the old Riach farm.
Early Closure: Closed in 1900 after the Pattison whisky crash; maltings remained in operation.
Reopened: Resumed distillation in 1965 under Glenlivet Distillers.
Ownership History: Previously owned by Seagram, then Pernod Ricard, purchased in 2004 by a private consortium led by Billy Walker, and sold to Brown-Forman in 2016.
Location: Located between Rothes and Elgin in Speyside, Scotland.
Water Source: Draws water from the Burnside Springs.

Production Details

Stills: Operates with two wash stills and two spirit stills.
Annual Output: Produces between 1.3 to 2.8 million litres of spirit per year.
Maltings: Historically used its own floor maltings, which were closed in 1999 and later reopened.
Fermentation and Maturation: Known for diverse cask usage including bourbon, sherry, virgin oak, port, rum, and Marsala casks.

Whisky Styles

Three Spirit Types: Produces unpeated, peated (since 1983), and triple-distilled single malts.
Flavor Profile: Offers fruity, malty, and spicy notes in unpeated expressions; smoky and earthy tones in peated variants.

Core Range

The Original Ten: Light and fruity Speyside style.
The Smoky Ten: Peated version with layered smoke and sweetness.
The Twelve and The Smoky Twelve: Finished in sherry and other casks for complexity.
Older Releases: Includes 16-, 20-, 21-, and 30-plus-year expressions.
Special Bottlings: Includes peated Curiositas, Septendecim, and limited edition cask finishes.