Speyside single malt distillery Tomintoul is celebrating two major milestones this year – 60 years since it first produced its signature single malt, and 25 years under the stewardship of Angus Dundee Distillers.
To mark the occasion, the distillery brought together some of the people responsible for making Tomintoul what it is today to share a dram next to the very first cask filled under Angus Dundee’s ownership.
Blend centre supervisor Neil Robertson, and head warehouseman Andrew Lawson were both part of the team before Angus Dundee Distillers took ownership, alongside distilleries director and master distiller, Robert Fleming, and PA to the distilleries director Nikki Brand.
The distillery lauded their decades of service, saying that they embodied the ‘loyalty, craftsmanship and community spirit’ that define Tomintoul.
Angus Dundee Distillers purchased Tomintoul Distillery from Whyte & Mackay in August 2000.
Only days later, the first cask under the new ownership was filled – a moment witnessed and signed by key members of the team, including fourth-generation distiller Fleming, who has gone on to lead the distillery and build its international reputation.
Fleming said: “Reaching our 60th anniversary is a testament to the passion and dedication of everyone who’s been part of Tomintoul’s journey.
“From the heart of Speyside, we’ve shared our whisky with the world, and this milestone is a moment to raise a glass to that achievement – and everything still to come.
“Tomintoul has always been about more than just great whisky – it’s about the people who make it. To have Neil, Andrew, Nikki and myself still here 25 years on says everything about the pride and commitment of the team,” said Fleming.
“This is as much a celebration of them, and of our community, as it is of the whisky itself.”
Tomintoul is described as ‘an exceptionally smooth and complex handcrafted whisky’ that benefits from the natural environment around the distillery, in particular the fresh mountain air of the Cairngorms National Park and the soft, pure water from the Ballantruan Spring.
The distillery has also reinforced its community roots by pledging continued support for the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team, entering its second year as the official spirits partner of the voluntary emergency service.
Robert added: “From its beginnings in 1965 to its global reputation today, Tomintoul remains a distillery built on people, place and passion – and the next chapter looks just as promising.”
