Skye, Carbost, Talisker Distillery, interior. Mash House: view from SW of mash tun (copper top, cast-iron sides and base, made by Abercrombie of Alloa) and grist hopper, soon to be replaced in planned ...

Description Skye, Carbost, Talisker Distillery, interior. Mash House: view from SW of mash tun (copper top, cast-iron sides and base, made by Abercrombie of Alloa) and grist hopper, soon to be replaced in planned modernisation.

Date 1994

Collection Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu

Catalogue Number C 24383 CN

Category Photographs and Off-line Digital Images

Copies SC 741052

Scope and Content Mash tun and grist hopper in mash house, Talisker Distillery, Skye, Highland Talisker Distillery, the only single malt distillery on Skye, was established in 1830 by brothers Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill. It was renovated 1880-7, and expanded in 1900. Triple distillation was abandoned in 1928 in favour of double distillation, in common with most other Scottish distilleries. After a fire in 1960 most buildings were replaced, the distillery's maltings were demolished in 1972. This shows a cast iron mash tun with a domed copper lid. It is used to mix together ground, malted barley ('grist') with hot water to extract the natural sugars. The large metal grist hopper (right) holds and dispenses grist is required for mashing. Mashing produces a fermentable solution of malt sugars called 'wort'. These are held in the underback tank before being cooled and fermented with yeast in the washbacks. The resulting wash is distilled in copper pot stills to create unmatured whisky ready for maturation in oak casks. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

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