Possibly one of the most picturesque distilleries in Scotland, with its ivy draped front entrance looking akin to a watercolour painting. Being the ‘brand home’ of the most ubiquitous whisky in the UK, Bell’s, Blair Athol distillery is the solid Highlands workhorse that provides so much of the character in Bell’s blended whisky. Bell’s (now in Diageo’s stable) has owned this legendary distillery since 1933, but the distillery itself has been around since 1798.
In 1949 the distillery was entirely rebuilt as the world economy began to recover from World War 2. Due to rising demand 1973 saw the addition of two extra stills to increase the distillery’s capacity. Its visitor’s centre opened in 1987 and has quickly become one of the more popular distilleries to tour due to its beauty.
It’s international fame as well precedes itself, contributing to the most popular blends across the whole of Scandinavia and the lucrative but difficult to penetrate South African market.
