In the distance, standing on a hill overlooking the iconic Speyside scotch town of Rothes, is a bright white distillery whose architecture marks a blend between modern and traditional styles, much like the whisky it produces. Auchroisk distillery was founded in 1972, making it much younger than some of its Rothes based siblings, but it has shot up in celebrity status due to its quality.
The distillery was originally built due to the discovery of "Dorie's well", hidden in a crevice, the water was of the highest quality and perfect for a smooth dram. Not long after, a building was constructed to protect the well. Due to this high quality water, Auchroisk’s whisky rapidly became a key part of Diageo’s J&B. The distillery favours neither American nor European oak casks, often experimenting between the two, with more spicy expressions utilising European sherry casks.
In the modern day Auchroisk’s popularity continues to grow with the distillery currently looking to double its storage capacity in order to meet the global demand. Meanwhile a number of independent bottlings have been released to critical acclaim. Due to the enormity of the production and the key industrial role it plays in Diageo’s blends, much of the Auchroisk distillery is off limits to the public. The on-site warehouses hold up to 265,000 casks at a time.
