Banff (whisky distillery)
Encyclopedia
The Banff distillery was a producer of single malt Scotch whisky that operated between 1863 and 1983.
) and a better water source in the springs on Fiskaidly farm.
Although the Banff distillery had dealt with fires and explosions in the past, a particularly bad fire damaged or destroyed much of the distillery apart from the warehouse on May 9, 1877. By October of the same year, Simpson had rebuilt the distillery and restored operation. He also then kept a fire engine on the premises. In 1921, Simpson's family sold a portion of the distillery to the London
-based Mile End Distillery Company. In 1932, a subsidiary of Distillers Company Ltd. bought the entire distillery for £50,000, and stopped production immediately.
On August 16, 1941, a Nazi
Junkers Ju 88
attacked the Banff distillery and destroyed warehouse No. 12. Many whisky casks burned and a great deal of stock was lost. Farmers reported that the whisky had run into nearby water supplies and intoxicated the local animal population. Repair on the distillery started in the Winter of 1941. In 1943, No. 248 Squadron RAF
was moved to the site of the distillery and remained there until the end of the war.
After World War II
ended, renovation on the Banff distillery began with the intent of restoring it to operation. While one of the stills was being repaired by a coppersmith
on October 3, 1959, vapors inside were ignited and caused an explosion that destroyed the still and damaged part of the distillery. The distillery's parent company was fined £15 for having violated safety regulations.
When renovation was finally complete, the distillery returned to operating status and continued to produce whisky until it was finally mothballed in 1983. By the late 1980s, most of the distillery's buildings had been dismantled or demolished. The last warehouse was destroyed in a fire on April 11, 1991.
Banff used a triple-distillation process until 1924.
History
The first distillery to use the name "Banff" was built by James McKilligan & Co. in 1824 on Banff Bay in Inverboyndie. In 1837, ownership was transferred to Alex Mackay, and then, in 1852, to James Simpson Sr. and James Simpson Jr. In 1863, James Simpson Jr. built a new distillery, also in Inverboyndie. This distillery had better access to rail transport (via the Great North of Scotland RailwayGreat North of Scotland Railway
The Great North of Scotland Railway was one of the smaller Scottish railways before the grouping, operating in the far north-east of the country. It was formed in 1845 and received its Parliamentary approval on June 26, 1846, following over two years of local meetings...
) and a better water source in the springs on Fiskaidly farm.
Although the Banff distillery had dealt with fires and explosions in the past, a particularly bad fire damaged or destroyed much of the distillery apart from the warehouse on May 9, 1877. By October of the same year, Simpson had rebuilt the distillery and restored operation. He also then kept a fire engine on the premises. In 1921, Simpson's family sold a portion of the distillery to the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based Mile End Distillery Company. In 1932, a subsidiary of Distillers Company Ltd. bought the entire distillery for £50,000, and stopped production immediately.
On August 16, 1941, a Nazi
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
attacked the Banff distillery and destroyed warehouse No. 12. Many whisky casks burned and a great deal of stock was lost. Farmers reported that the whisky had run into nearby water supplies and intoxicated the local animal population. Repair on the distillery started in the Winter of 1941. In 1943, No. 248 Squadron RAF
No. 248 Squadron RAF
No. 248 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force, active immediately after World War I, and again during World War II.-Post-World War I:...
was moved to the site of the distillery and remained there until the end of the war.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
ended, renovation on the Banff distillery began with the intent of restoring it to operation. While one of the stills was being repaired by a coppersmith
Coppersmith
A coppersmith, also known as a redsmith, is a person who makes artifacts from copper. The term redsmith comes from the colour of copper....
on October 3, 1959, vapors inside were ignited and caused an explosion that destroyed the still and damaged part of the distillery. The distillery's parent company was fined £15 for having violated safety regulations.
When renovation was finally complete, the distillery returned to operating status and continued to produce whisky until it was finally mothballed in 1983. By the late 1980s, most of the distillery's buildings had been dismantled or demolished. The last warehouse was destroyed in a fire on April 11, 1991.
Operation
The stills at Banff were fed by hand with coal until 1963, when a system was put in place to deliver the coal mechanically. In 1970, the stills were converted to be heated by oil burners. Cooling water was drawn from Burn of Boydine.Banff used a triple-distillation process until 1924.