Speyburn Distillery (28 Oct 2001)
Rothesの町から少し北に行った緑美しい谷間に建っているSpeyburn蒸留所。
蒸留所が建てられた1897年はヴィクトリア女王在位60年の記念すべき年。12月になっても完成していない蒸留所を無理矢理使って12月15日にようやく1樽のウィスキーを造った。職人達はちょうどその時にRothesの谷を襲った雪嵐の寒さを凌ぐために厚着をして作業をしていた。
蒸留所の設計は有名なCharles Chree Doig。モルトキルンにその特徴が表れている。
Speyburn Distillery lies North of Rothes, on the beautiful green Glen of Rothes.
The distillery was build in 1897, when the Queen Victoria marked the 60th year of her reign, Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
Unfortunately, distillery had not finished to build by December, but staffs had distilled just 1 cask of whisky by 15 Dec using uncompleted distillery.
All of staffs had to wore heavy winter clothing because of cold wave which hit the Glen of Rothes.
Speyburn Distillery was designed by Charles Chree Doig, malt kiln is really beautiful shape.
Speyburn Distillery (28 Oct 2001)
Rothesの町の中心部から北に歩くこと5分程。Speyburn蒸留所の看板が見えてきた。ここからBroad Burnと呼ばれる小川沿いに谷に入る。
町から意外と近いと思ったけど、その看板から蒸留所までの方が遠いような気がする。
私が初めて宮城峡蒸留所を訪れた時、Speyburn蒸留所と雰囲気が似ていると感じた。竹鶴政孝氏はスコットランド修行中、一時期Rothesに滞在して列車でGlenlivet蒸留所まで通っていたとのこと。Glen Grant, Glenrothes, Glen Speyの各蒸留所は見学したと自書にあるがSpeyburn蒸留所は訪れていないのかなぁ・・・いや、来ているだろう。
It took about 5minutes to go to the signboard of Speyburn Distillery from town center. I thought surprisingly close to the town but distance between the signboard and distillery was longer than distance between town center and the signboard.
When I went to Nikka Miyagikyo Distillery in Japan first time, I felt atmosphere of Miyagikyo Distillery is similar to Speyburn Distillery. Mr. Masataka Taketuru, who is a leading expert to make whisky in Japan and founder of Nikka Whisky, stayed in Rothes for a period of time when he studyed about making whisky in 1918 – 1920, and commuted to The Glenlivet Distillery by train.
According to his own book, he visited to Glen Grant, Glenrothes and Glen Spey during his stay in Rothes. I don’t know whether he went to Speyburn Distillery or not, but if I were him I would visit absolutely.
