Building record MAB27769 - GLENADEN DISTILLERY

Farmstead, house and remains of former brewery and distillery.

Farmstead, house and remains of former brewery and distillery. The complex is named on the 1st edition OS map as Biffie Brewery, and on the 2nd edition map as Glenaden Brewery. Many of the original buildings appear to survive. The farmhouse is B-Listed, a late 18th-early 19th Century two-storey building with a three-window east front, which is harled with no margins. The openings are slightly chamfered. There is irregular fenestration on the west front, with a central door and steps at a half landing level. The south gable has been left tusked for additions. There is a single storey south wing. The building was an old-established brewery, later converted to a distillery, which was closed in 1915. Some oldish buildings and part of a vault are visible (Tranter). Possible site of a manor (N Bogdan). The brewery is depicted on the OS map of 1867 as having two L-shaped buildings, orientated north-south and four other single buildings. Millpond lay to the south, east and west. To the northwest, on the other side of the road, a lade leads from the eastern pond to the Glenaden Distillery. It consists of a long building with two smaller buildings to its east. By the time of the 2nd edition map the distillery had been added to slightly forming an L-shaped building. Now in ruins. Research conducted by W. Rennie (Stuartfield) on the history of the Brewery and Distillery sent to AAS in March 2009. He notes that the Distillery and Brewery were established in 1845. The first proprietors were Messrs. Milne and Co. They produced a pure malt whisky at an annual output of approximately 12,000 gallons. They were later sold to George Wilson and Co. in 1882, who produced malt whisky, stout harvest beer and a herb ale. The herb ale is reputed to be the same as the monks from the Abbey of Old Deer produced a thousand years earlier. They were sold again in 1903 to Yelton, Ogilvie and Co. The distillery and brewery were farm based and a very small producer. It is believed at the time it was Scotland's smallest distillery and it did not survive the ever increasing cost of operation and distribution and was forced to cease production in 1915. It was one of the few distilleries that had two pot stills.

TRANTER, N, 1972, THE EASTERN COUNTIES-ABERDEEN, 137 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1919.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, OLD DEER 25 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Record last edited

Mar 25 2024 2:55PM