Miltonduff 1963, Balmenach 1970, Craigellachie 1971 & Knockdhu 1974

Miltonduff has been around since 1824, if not earlier, as illegal distilling was popular in the area. It’s believed that the distillery was an illegal farming operation know as Milton, the Duff aspect came when the family of the same name purchased the land. The distillery was retained privately for many years, changing hands, but it wasn’t until the 1930s that it was acquired by George Ballantine & Sons for their booming blending requirements. And this is where Miltonduff showed its worth, as it became a vital component and remains so to this day. As an experiment in 1964, two Lomond stills were installed and these produced the Mosstowie distillate is increasingly rare and very desirable. In single malt terms, a few independent bottlings of Miltonduff, distilled in the 1960s, gathered praise and are highly rated by enthusiasts. Today, it is still widely supported by independent bottlers and has a good fanbase. Pernod Ricard has not sought to bring the whisky fully into the single malt spotlight. There is a staple 15 year old and the occasional cask strength edition available from Chivas distilleries, but Miltonduff still remains an enigma.