Tomatin
Encyclopedia
Tomatin is a small village on the River Findhorn
in Strathdearn in the Scottish Highlands
about 16 miles (25.7 km) south of the city of Inverness
. The name derives from the Scottish Gaelic name Tom-Ah-Tin (hill of juniper). The river Findhorn rises at Coignafearn, a large game estate near Tomatin, and then passes through Tomatin village itself. The village has a shop, school and village hall and is most known for its whisky
distillery.
At the last census
in 2001 Tomatin had a population of 183. Many of the inhabitants are employed by local farms and estates, while others commute to Inverness and surrounding towns.
As part of the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency
it is represented in the UK Parliament by Danny Alexander
MP (Liberal Democrat
); in the Scottish Parliament it is in the constituency of Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
, represented by Fergus Ewing
MSP (Scottish National Party
).
which, with its 23 stills, was the largest malt distillery in Scotland during the 1970s. Although it is thought that whisky has been distilled on the site since the 16th century, when cattle drovers would buy from a local still, the distillery was not established until 1897 under the name of Tomatin Spey Distillery Co Ltd. In 1986 it was taken over by Japanese conglomerate Takara Shozu and was renamed Tomatin Distillery Co Ltd.
.
The community now has a £185,000 community sports centre which was officially opened by local resident and shinty
legend, Kevin Thain
in late 2010.http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/2029733
league whilst Tomatin FC plays in the Inverness & District Welfare League.
River Findhorn
The River Findhorn is one of the longest rivers in Scotland. Located in the north east, it flows into the Moray Firth on the north coast. It has one of the largest non-firth estuaries in Scotland....
in Strathdearn in the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
about 16 miles (25.7 km) south of the city of Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
. The name derives from the Scottish Gaelic name Tom-Ah-Tin (hill of juniper). The river Findhorn rises at Coignafearn, a large game estate near Tomatin, and then passes through Tomatin village itself. The village has a shop, school and village hall and is most known for its whisky
Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
distillery.
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
in 2001 Tomatin had a population of 183. Many of the inhabitants are employed by local farms and estates, while others commute to Inverness and surrounding towns.
As part of the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (UK Parliament constituency)
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
it is represented in the UK Parliament by Danny Alexander
Danny Alexander
Daniel Grian Alexander is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has been Chief Secretary to the Treasury since 2010. He has been the Member of Parliament for the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey constituency since 2005....
MP (Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
); in the Scottish Parliament it is in the constituency of Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
, represented by Fergus Ewing
Fergus Ewing
Fergus Ewing is the Scottish Government's Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Inverness and Nairn.- Background :...
MSP (Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
).
The Tomatin Distillery
Tomatin is perhaps best known for being the home of Tomatin whiskyWhisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
which, with its 23 stills, was the largest malt distillery in Scotland during the 1970s. Although it is thought that whisky has been distilled on the site since the 16th century, when cattle drovers would buy from a local still, the distillery was not established until 1897 under the name of Tomatin Spey Distillery Co Ltd. In 1986 it was taken over by Japanese conglomerate Takara Shozu and was renamed Tomatin Distillery Co Ltd.
Local Facilities
Facilities in the village include a pub & restaurant called the Tomatin Country Inn, the Tomatin Country Store - the local village shop, a primary school and a village hall that is used for a number of social activities. Local estates generate a significant income by attracting wealthy businessmen to take part in grouse shooting; the shooting season begins on 12 August of each year, which is known as the Glorious TwelfthGlorious Twelfth
The Glorious Twelfth is usually used to refer to 12 August, the start of the shooting season for Red Grouse and to a lesser extent the Ptarmigan in the United Kingdom. This is one of the busiest days in the shooting season, with large amounts of game being shot...
.
The community now has a £185,000 community sports centre which was officially opened by local resident and shinty
Shinty
Shinty is a team game played with sticks and a ball. Shinty is now played mainly in the Scottish Highlands, and amongst Highland migrants to the big cities of Scotland, but it was formerly more widespread, being once competitively played on a widespread basis in England and other areas in the...
legend, Kevin Thain
Kevin Thain
Kevin Thain is a shinty player from the village of Tomatin, Scotland. He has played almost his whole career for Kingussie Camanachd and has been an integral part of its success since the mid-1980s.-Playing Career:...
in late 2010.http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/2029733
The Tomatin Football Clubs
For such a small settlement, Tomatin surprisingly has two football clubs. Tomatin Utd FC plays in the local Strathspey & Badenoch Welfare FAStrathspey & Badenoch Welfare FA
The Strathspey & Badenoch Welfare Football Association is the governing body overseeing amateur Scottish Welfare football in the Badenoch and Strathspey area of Scotland. It is affiliated to Scottish Welfare FA and Scottish Football Association and has been running intermittently since its...
league whilst Tomatin FC plays in the Inverness & District Welfare League.