Teaninich

Teaninich distillery, founded in 1817, stands as one of Scotland's early legal whisky distilleries. Captain Hugh Munro, a Napoleonic war hero and estate owner, constructed it on his Teaninich Castle estate. Notably, Munro and his brother General John Munro were known for their benevolent landlordship during the challenging times of the Highland Clearances. In 1869, John Ross assumed the lease, later transferring it to Elgin-based blenders Munro & Cameron in 1895. Eventually, the distillery came under the ownership of DCL in 1933, marking the start of its association with Diageo.

Teaninich's history is marked by regular expansions, including an upgrade to larger stills in 1946 and a doubling of stills in 1962. In 1970, a new distillery, Teaninch 'A Side', was constructed alongside the original site ('B Side'), operating simultaneously until 1984 when the latter was closed.

An unusual feature of Teaninich is its lack of a mash tun, employing a hammer mill and mash filter instead, a rarity in Scottish malt distilleries. This unique approach yields an ultra-clear wort, contributing to Teaninich's distinctive character, marked by fragrant exotic grassiness reminiscent of Japanese green tea and coumarin-rich bison grass. Its fat stills add an oily texture while maintaining a sharp acidity.

Teaninich primarily serves as a workhorse for Diageo, producing malt whisky for blending purposes, with limited official single malt bottlings available.