Braeval distillery information
Originally founded under the name of “Braes of Glenlivet” by Chivas Brothers Ltd. (subsidiary of Seagrams) between 1973 and 1974, the Braeval distillery changed it’s name to Braeval in 1975 in order to avoid confusion with The Glenlivet. The distillery is located in the deep south o the Speyside region, high up above the remote village of Chapeltown, Braeval is one of the 2 highest located distilleries in Scotland (the other one being Dalwhinnie. Both distilleries are around 350-355 meters above sea level, depending on which spot one measures at).
Breaval has a lot in common with the Allt-A-Bhainne distillery; both were built by Chivas Brothers in the 1970s; both are constructed as fairly modern buildings with traditional touches (for instance both distilleries feature pagoda roofs, even though they’re purely decorational); both are constructed as very automated distilleries, intended to be ran by a single operator, and both distilleries predominantly produce whisky to be used in blends, with virtually none of their spirit finding its way into official releases (in Braevals’ case, no official bottlings have ever been released).
Originally constructed with three stills, in 1975 two additional stills were added, and a sixth still was installed in 1978. In 2001, Pernod Ricard acquired Seagrams, and mothballed the distillery the year after in 2002. It was revived in 2008 in order to meet the rising demand for whisky. A new mash tun was installed in 2012.
Braeval whisky
Whisky distilled at Braeval is not laid to rest in casks, but instead is filled into large tanker trucks and then transported to Keith. There have been no official bottlings, though a few independents have found their way to the market. Most of the produce is intended for blending purposes.
Distillery info:
| Name | Braeval |
| Region | Speyside |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1974 |
| Water source | Preenie Well, Kate's Well |
| Owned by | Pernod Ricard |
| Address |
Chapeltown +44 (0) 1542 783342 |
| Visitor centre | No |
| Website | N/A |
| N/A | |
| N/A | |
| Community | N/A |
| Map |
Distillery Setup:
Component |
Capacity |
Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Mash tun | 9 tonnes | 1 (traditional rake-and-plough) |
| Washback | 44,000 litres | 13 (Stainless Steel) |
| Wash still | 22,000 litres | 2 |
| Spirit Still | 7,500 litres | 4 |
| Expected yearly output in LPA (Litres of pure alcohol) | 4,000,000 |