The Balvenie

Founded in 1892 in Dufftown by William Grant, who had already built Glenfiddich next door. An 18th-century mansion, Balvenie New House, was converted into the distillery, and the first spirit ran on 1 May 1893. It is still owned by William Grant & Sons.

It is one of only a handful of Scottish distilleries that still malt some of their own barley on traditional malting floors, and it keeps its own coopers and coppersmith on site. Some of its barley is grown on land next to the distillery.

Longtime malt master David Stewart, who joined William Grant & Sons in 1962, pioneered the practice of finishing whisky in a second type of cask — the idea behind the DoubleWood 12.