A distillery that has been closed for over 40 years is set to reopen and restart production.
Dallas Dhu was founded in 1898 and, despite surviving through a turbulent history that included a massive fire in 1939, the distillery was eventually closed in 1983 - one of the many victims of the industry wide slump during that decade.
Since its closure the building has been under the stewardship of Historic Environment Scotland who have maintained the distillery as a museum and visitor centre.
It was reported earlier this year that HES were negotiating with Diageo, who still own the property, to find away way to enhance the attractions offering. Now a deal has been struck with Aceo to fully reopen the distillery.
Aceo were founded in 1999 and offer many services for the wider Scotch whisky industry, including cask brokering, bottling and labelling, and warehouse re-racking. The group also own independent bottler Murray McDavid.
This is not the first time Dallas Dhu has been close to reawakening. In 2013, a study was undertaken to assess the feasibility of restarting production at the site. Although it was believed little work would be required, nothing concrete came from this research.
Plans for the new state of the art visitor centre will include a cooperage, working floor maltings and a virtual reality experience to explain the science and art of whisky making. A new exhibition will also tell the story of how distilling has impacted the local area’s social and economic history. Future plans will also see a cafe and restaurant introduced.
Because much of the equipment has been well maintained during the distillery’s time as a museum, it is hoped that whisky will be made using the original equipment. The new spirit will also be stored in Dallas Dhu’s well preserved dunnage warehouses.
Sustainability will also be at the forefront of the plans to revive production as Aceo hope to minimise environmental impact of their construction efforts and also improve biodiversity in the local area.
Stephen Duncan, HES marketing and engagement director, said: “Dallas Dhu offers a unique opportunity to showcase traditional distilling techniques as a living history attraction.
“This reopening marks a new chapter for the distillery, and we are confident it will attract visitors, while also bringing benefits to the local community and economy.”
Aceo managing director Edward Odim added “Our vision is to make Dallas Dhu one of the leading, must-see whisky distilleries in Scotland, giving visitors a unique, close-up experience of whisky-making.”
At the time of writing, there has been no time schedule given for the restoration project.
With other previously closed distilleries such as Port Ellen, Brora and Rosebank all enjoying a second life, it seems almost fashionable to revive a name from Scotch whisky’s past.
Dallas Dhu feels like a natural fit for this trend, at least on paper. While the brand might not enjoy the same reverence among aficionados as some of those other distilleries, it undoubtedly holds more value than some other historic names.
Importantly Dallas Dhu also would have a head start over other closed distilleries. With the original equipment still there and much of the visitor experience infrastructure already in place, the venture between Aceo and Historic Environment Scotland could prove to be a successful one.
