In the early 1800s the area north of the River Dee was popular among illicit distilleries. Even after the reduced duty of the Excise Act in 1823, many moonshine distillers considered those who took out licenses as traitors and rivals. The former illicit distiller James Robertson took out two licenses and twice his distilleries burnt to the ground in myserious fires. The first in 1826 and the last in 1841 called Lochnagar, not named after a loch but the mountain that dominates the countryside. Four years later in 1845, John Begg built a new distillery called New Lochnagar, South of the River Dee close to the Balmoral castle. The castle is summer residence of the Royal family. After a visit by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1848 they allowed John to rename the distillery Royal Lochnagar, which had an immediate effect on the sales. However in the late 1800s, most of the whisky was used in the famous VAT69 blend. The distillery remained in the family and was rebuilt in 1906. In 1916 the distillery joined the DCL (Distillers Company Ltd) and subsequently later became part of Diageo. Paraffin lamps were used until 1949 and power came from a waterwheel well into the 1960s. Thus most of the distillery was totally rebuilt in 1963, although the Malt-Barn and the Kiln from 1906, out of use since 1966, still stand. Today, the distillery produces a relatively small amount of whisky, most of which is used in Johnnie Walker black and blue Label. Visit my wonderful Whisky Shop, Clanach Dubh N°13 in Unteraegeri ZG Switzerland. clanach-dubh.ch
Posted on: Sat, 30 Nov 2013 13:16:47 +0000
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