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Edderton, Balblair Distillery

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Distillery (Period Unassigned)

Site Name Edderton, Balblair Distillery

Classification Distillery (Period Unassigned)

Canmore ID 14660

Site Number NH78NW 26

NGR NH 70609 85582

NGR Description Centred NH 70609 85582

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/14660

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Digital Images

Balblair Distillery, Interior View of maltings showing cask store
Balblair Distillery, Interior View of maltings showing cask storeBalblair Distillery, Interior View showing steepsBalblair Distillery, Interior View showing grist hopperBalblair Distillery, Interior View of warehouse showing barrelsBalblair Distillery View from SE showing SE front of N blockGeneral view fro SSW of distilleryInterior. Former Kiln, now containing sparge vessel (left, which receives mashing waters), and hot water vessel (right)Balblair Distillery, Edderton parish, Ross and Cromarty, HighlandAerial view of Edderton, Dornoch Firth, Easter Ross, looking E.Elevated view from SE of distillery offices, with boilerhouse chimney and main production block in backgroundInterior. Mill Room, detail of Porteus malt millInterior. Still House, elevated view of the three stills, with the Wash Still in the foreground, the low wines still in the middle, and a disused riveted still beyondInterior. Still House, detailed view of disused riveted copper pot still, situated at the end of the still house beyond the Wash and Low Wines stillsBalblair Distillery, Interior View showing still houseBalblair Distillery View showing condensersView from SSW of distillery offices, with main production block of distillery behindGeneral view of distillery from SWInterior. Still House, elevated view of the three stills, with the Wash Still in the foreground, the low wines still in the middle, and a disused riveted still beyondInterior. Duty Free Warehouse No. 3, detail of Balblair 1998 casksView of distillery from SE, with railway track in foregroundView of distillery from SE, with railway track in foregroundView from S of boiler house and chimneyView from SW of former kiln and pagoda roof, with draff hopper (right)View from SW of gable end of former maltings (left), and kiln (right)General view of distillery from SWView from W of Warehouses 3 & 4Interior. Mill Room, detail of Porteus malt millInterior. Mash House (upper), view showing top of stainless-steel mash mash tunInterior. Tun room (upper), showing tops of the wooden washbacksInterior. Still House, detailed view of Wash StillInterior. Duty Free Warehouse No. 3, detail of Balblair 1998 casksBalblair Distillery General view from ESEDistant general view of distillery from ESEView from SE of distillery offices, with boilerhouse chimney and main production block in backgroundView from W of NW side of distillery, showing former maltingsInterior. Still House, detailed view of disused riveted copper pot still, situated at the end of the still house beyond the Wash and Low Wines stillsBalblair Distillery, Edderton parish, Ross and Cromarty, HighlandsDistant general view of distillery from ESEView from SW of former maltings (left), and kiln (centre)General view of distillery from SWInterior. Still House, detailed view of Wash StillInterior. Still House, elevated view of the three stills, with the Wash Still in the foreground, the low wines still in the middle, and a disused riveted still beyondInterior. Still House, elevated view onto Low Wines Still (foreground), with Wash Still beyoundInterior. Tun Room (lower), view of bottom of wooden washbacksBalblair Distillery, Interior View showing malt dresserView of distillery from SE, with railway track in foregroundInterior. Still House, elevated view onto Low Wines Still (foreground), with Wash Still beyoundView of NE side of distillery from E, with railway track in foregroundGeneral view fro SSW of distilleryView from SW of two still condensers on the SW side of the still house, with the base of the boilerhouse chimney (right)View from SW of former maltings (left), and kiln (centre)View from W of NW side of distillery, showing former maltingsDetailed view from W of NW side of Warehouses 3 and 4, also showing hipped slate roofDetailed view from W of NW side of Warehouses 3 and 4, also showing hipped slate roofInterior. Still House, detailed view of Wash Still, with low wines still partially visible beyondInterior. Still House, detailed view of disused riveted copper pot still, situated at the end of the still house beyond the Wash and Low Wines stillsBalblair Distillery, Interior View showing malt millBalblair Distillery View from NE showing SE front of N warehouse blockDistant general view of distillery from EView from SW of former maltings (left), and kiln (centre)View from W of Warehouses 3 & 4Interior. Mash House (lower), view showing base of stainless-steel mash tun (right), and base of grist hoppers (left)Interior. Still House, detailed view of Wash Still, with low wines still partially visible beyondGeneral viewDistant general view of distillery from EView of NE side of distillery from E, with railway track in foregroundGeneral view fro SSW of distilleryView from SW of two still condensers on the SW side of the still house, with the base of the boilerhouse chimney (right)Interior. Mash House (lower), view showing base of stainless-steel mash tun (right), and base of grist hoppers (left)Interior. Mash House (upper), view showing top of stainless-steel mash mash tunInterior. Still House, elevated view onto Low Wines Still (foreground), with Wash Still beyoundInterior. Still House, detail of spirit safeView of Edderton Railway Station and Balblair Distillery from ESE.Balblair Distillery, Interior View showing wooden washbacksView of distillery from SE, with railway track in foregroundView from SW of two still condensers on the SW side of the still house, with the base of the boilerhouse chimney (right)Detailed view from W of NW side of Warehouses 3 and 4, also showing hipped slate roofInterior. Mill Room, detail of Porteus malt millInterior. Still House, detailed view of Wash StillOblique aerial view of the pier with Edderton beyond, looking SW.Balblair Distillery, Edderton parish, Ross and Cromarty, HighlandGeneral viewView from SSW of distillery offices, with main production block of distillery behindView from SSW of distillery offices, with main production block of distillery behindView from W of Warehouses 3 & 4Interior. Former Kiln, now containing sparge vessel (left, which receives mashing waters), and hot water vessel (right)Interior. Mash House (lower), view showing base of stainless-steel mash tun (right), and base of grist hoppers (left)Interior. Still House, view at lower level showing the bases of the stills, which are heated by steam coilsInterior. Still House, detail of spirit safeBalblair Distillery, Interior View showing kiln firedoorBalblair Distillery, Interior View showing wooden washbacksBalblair Distillery, Interior View showing riveted stillView of NE side of distillery from E, with railway track in foregroundElevated view from SE of distillery offices, with boilerhouse chimney and main production block in backgroundView from S of boiler house and chimneyInterior. Mash House (upper), view showing top of stainless-steel mash mash tunInterior. Still House, view at lower level showing the bases of the stills, which are heated by steam coilsInterior. Still House, detail of spirit safeBalblair Distillery, Edderton parish, Ross and Cromarty, HighlandsBalblair Distillery, Edderton parish, Ross and Cromarty, Highlands

First 100 images shown. See the Collections panel (below) for a link to all digital images.

Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Edderton
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Ross And Cromarty
  • Former County Ross And Cromarty

Archaeology Notes

NH78NW 26 centred 70609 85582

Balblair Distillery [NAT]

OS (GIS) MasterMap, July 2009.

(Location cited as NH 706 855). Balblair Distillery, built c. 1872 by Ross and Son. Externally almost unaltered, with rubble buildings, including a large malting kiln, and a neat range of single-storey bonded stores.

J R Hume 1977.

Built adjacent to the Highland Railway in the early 1870s by Andrew Ross & Son, Balblair Distillery is situated on the edge of the village of Edderton. It was closed in 1915 and not re-opened until 1947, when it was refurbished by Robert Cumming. Thereafter, it was bought by the Hiram Walker group of Canada in 1970, who later extended capacity from two to three stills. Hiram Walker merged with Allied Vintners to become Allied Distillers in 1988, and subsequently sold Balblair to Inver House Distillers Ltd of Airdrie in 1996.

Much of the original 1870s fabric remains intact, and Balblair is therefore regarded as being one of the more picturesque operational single-malt distilleries. There has, however, been some change, an example of which is the conversion of the floor-maltings to storage, and the gutting of the kiln to house water tanks and grist hoppers.

Important components include the kiln's pagoda roof, the traditional tun room (with wooden washbacks), and the still house. The latter has two working stills (which use steam coils and condenser colums), the third (riveted) being disconnected and out of use. Other notable features of the complex include the traditional warehousing, the office, and the boilerhouse chimney.

Information from RCAHMS (MKO), 2003.

A Barnard 1887 (reprinted 1969); MS Moss and J R Hume 1981.

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