Dallas Dhu distillery
Encyclopedia
The Dallas Dhu distillery was a producer of single malt Scotch whisky that operated between 1899 and 1983. Dallas Dhu means "Black Water Valley" in Gaelic
. Its whisky also appeared as a "Dallas Mhor" single malt. In 1899, Alexander Edward designed the Dallas Dhu distillery at the height of the whisky
boom. Later he sold the plans and the distillery was built by the blender Wright and Greg. It was acquired by Benmore Distilleries Ltd, which joined DCL in 1929. The stillhouse was destroyed by a fire in 1939, but rebuilt. Production continued until the distillery closed in 1983; it is now a museum.
. It featured a pagoda
roof designed by Scottish architect Charles C. Doig. When ownership of the distillery changed to Wright & Greig Ltd. in 1899, it was renamed to "Dallas Dhu". Production began on May 29, 1899, and the first cask was filled on June 3.
Starting in 1909, David Lloyd George
introduced restrictions on distilling in the United Kingdom
; these included increased taxes and the requirement that all whisky sold had been aged for at least three years.
In 1919, the distillery was sold to J. P. O'Brian & Co., and then again to Benmore Distilleries Ltd. in 1921 (around which time, the Dallas Dhu malt whisky was used in the Benmore blended whisky.) The Benmore owners installed new equipment, including electric lighting and mechanized switchers for the wash backs. After Benmore's acquisition by Distillers Company (DCL) in 1928, the distillery was closed until 1936. It was also transferred to the DCL subsidiary, Scottish Malt Distillers (SMD).
On April 9, 1939, the distillery (along with much of its equipment) was damaged by a fire. The distillery manager's wife called for the Forres Fire Brigade, who arrived quickly and brought the fire under control in four hours. Damage was estimated at £7000. The fire and the start of World War II
delayed the distillery's re-opening until March 30, 1947.
Most equipment was powered by steam engines and a large water wheel
until the 1950s, when it was replaced with electric power. The worm tubs were replaced in 1956, and increasing demand saw the installation of two more wash backs, one new mash tun and one boiler in 1964. An elevator was installed in the malt barn in 1966. Between 1968 and 1969, the stills were replaced, and they were converted from coal heat to oil-fired steam heat in 1971.
SMD had built a malting plant in Burghead
, intended to provide malt for a number of SMD's distilleries; this led to Dallas Dhu stopping use of its own malting floor, which was last used on March 30, 1968.
Economic pressure and an unreliable water supply forced Dallas Dhu to close in 1983, and its distilling license was withdrawn in 1992. The last barrel was filled on March 16, 1983, although the buildings were re-opened to the public in 1988 under Scotland's Historic Buildings and Monument Directorate. Historic Scotland
has operated the property since its establishment in 1992.
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
. Its whisky also appeared as a "Dallas Mhor" single malt. In 1899, Alexander Edward designed the Dallas Dhu distillery at the height of the whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
boom. Later he sold the plans and the distillery was built by the blender Wright and Greg. It was acquired by Benmore Distilleries Ltd, which joined DCL in 1929. The stillhouse was destroyed by a fire in 1939, but rebuilt. Production continued until the distillery closed in 1983; it is now a museum.
History
Originally named "Dallasmore", the Dallas Dhu distillery was built in 1898 by Alexander Edward of the Sanquhar estate outside ForresForres
Forres , is a town and former royal burgh situated in the north of Scotland on the Moray coast, approximately 30 miles east of Inverness. Forres has been a winner of the Scotland in Bloom award on several occasions...
. It featured a pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
roof designed by Scottish architect Charles C. Doig. When ownership of the distillery changed to Wright & Greig Ltd. in 1899, it was renamed to "Dallas Dhu". Production began on May 29, 1899, and the first cask was filled on June 3.
Starting in 1909, David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
introduced restrictions on distilling in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
; these included increased taxes and the requirement that all whisky sold had been aged for at least three years.
In 1919, the distillery was sold to J. P. O'Brian & Co., and then again to Benmore Distilleries Ltd. in 1921 (around which time, the Dallas Dhu malt whisky was used in the Benmore blended whisky.) The Benmore owners installed new equipment, including electric lighting and mechanized switchers for the wash backs. After Benmore's acquisition by Distillers Company (DCL) in 1928, the distillery was closed until 1936. It was also transferred to the DCL subsidiary, Scottish Malt Distillers (SMD).
On April 9, 1939, the distillery (along with much of its equipment) was damaged by a fire. The distillery manager's wife called for the Forres Fire Brigade, who arrived quickly and brought the fire under control in four hours. Damage was estimated at £7000. The fire and the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
delayed the distillery's re-opening until March 30, 1947.
Most equipment was powered by steam engines and a large water wheel
Water wheel
A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface...
until the 1950s, when it was replaced with electric power. The worm tubs were replaced in 1956, and increasing demand saw the installation of two more wash backs, one new mash tun and one boiler in 1964. An elevator was installed in the malt barn in 1966. Between 1968 and 1969, the stills were replaced, and they were converted from coal heat to oil-fired steam heat in 1971.
SMD had built a malting plant in Burghead
Burghead
Burghead is a small town in Moray, Scotland, about 8 miles north-west of Elgin. The town is mainly built on a Peninsula which projects north-westward into the Moray Firth, meaning that most of the town has sea on 3 sides. The present town was built between 1805 and 1809, destroying in the...
, intended to provide malt for a number of SMD's distilleries; this led to Dallas Dhu stopping use of its own malting floor, which was last used on March 30, 1968.
Economic pressure and an unreliable water supply forced Dallas Dhu to close in 1983, and its distilling license was withdrawn in 1992. The last barrel was filled on March 16, 1983, although the buildings were re-opened to the public in 1988 under Scotland's Historic Buildings and Monument Directorate. Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
has operated the property since its establishment in 1992.
External links
- Dallas Dhu distillery web site
- Dallas Dhu, Scotch Whisky
- Dallas Dhu, Whisky Distilleries
- Dallas Dhu, Whisky Merchants
- Dallas Dhu, Malt Madness