Another distillery under the ownership of massive conglomerate Bacardi, Aultmore is predominantly used in the brand’s blended whisky powerhouse, Dewar’s. And in recent years, with the resurgence of the Old Perth Whisky brand by Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, Aultmore now finds itself as a key component of this increasinly popular blend as well. The distillate is prized as a blending malt so much in fact that when Diageo was negotiating the sale of Dewar’s to Bacardi, Bacardi was reportedly prepared to walk away from the deal entirely if Aultmore wasn’t included.

Aultmore was founded in 1896 by Alexander Edward, owner of the nearby Craigellachie Distillery and visionary behind the still legendary Craigellachie Hotel.  Alexander’s father, Edward, had built the Benrinnes Distillery, but Alexander took the family whisky empire to another level by adding four more distilleries to the portfolio: Aultmore, Craigellachie, Dallas Dhu, and Benromach, while helping lay the foundations for the Speyside tourism boom that continues to this day.

Located just outside the Speyside village of Keith, Aultmore was built during the golden age of Speyside distillery expansion. Like many Scottish distilleries, production halted during World War I. When operations resumed, the distillery eventually came under the control of John Dewar & Sons, now part of Bacardi’s global whisky portfolio.

The distillery underwent significant refurbishment during the 1970s, and today the still house operates with 2 wash stills and 2 spirit stills. Aultmore’s stills are relatively short while fermentation times are notably long, a combination that helps create the distillery’s signature character: clean, grassy, honeyed, and subtly waxy with a classic Speyside elegance.

Despite its historic role as a blending malt, Dewar’s and Bacardi have in recent years released several official age statement bottlings under the Aultmore name, finally giving whisky drinkers a closer look at this once “hidden” Speyside distillery. That said, independent bottlers have long championed Aultmore, often showcasing the spirit in exceptional single cask releases that deliver remarkable quality and value.