Cooperage (10). View of recently stencilled and bar-coded barrels awaiting transfer to Filling Store (8) for filling. Digital image of C 3880 CN.

Description Cooperage (10). View of recently stencilled and bar-coded barrels awaiting transfer to Filling Store (8) for filling. Digital image of C 3880 CN.

Date 26/4/1993

Catalogue Number SC 732219

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of C 3880 CN

Scope and Content Empty barrels in the cooperage, Balmenach Distillery, Highland Balmenach Distillery was formally established in 1824, when legend has it James Macgregor was visited by an exciseman who advised him to 'take out a license on yon peat shed' in which he had been illicitly distilling whisky. Like most distilleries it has been renovated and has changed hands several times in the course of its history, before being 'mothballed' in 1993. It was acquired by Inver House Distillers in 1997, and is now once more in use. This shows the cooperage, a special building for the repair and construction of barrels. These large barrels have had their ends newly painted blue, and have been stencilled with an identification number, the year of filling, and the name of the distillery. Modern printed bar-codes have also been attached to each one. They are stored here until required in the filling store. Malt and grain whisky must then be aged in oak casks for a legal minimum of three years. These casks may have previously contained either Oloroso sherry or American Bourbon. Maturation in these wooden casks gives the whisky its flavour and finished appearance, and takes place in cool, earth-floored bonded warehouses. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/732219

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap