The history of Balblair

Gather round, this is the story of Balblair.

It would be hard to find a distillery set in more scenic and unspoilt surroundings than Balblair.

Established in 1790, Balblair distillery is one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland and the oldest working distillery in the Highlands. It is strikingly situated by the beautiful Dornoch Firth on the sweep of the Cambuscurrie Bay within sight of the ancient Clach Biorach standing stone.

The original source of its water is still used to this day. The delightful and winding Allt Dearg burn flows fresh and clear from the surrounding hills.

Balblair was founded by John Ross in 1790. He ran it as a thriving business and, in 1824, was joined by his son, Andrew.

The distillery stayed in the Ross family until the late 19th century when the tenancy was taken over by Alexander Cowan. Cowan ran the distillery for over half a century, before finally selling the freehold to Robert ‘Bertie’ Cumming.

Bertie’s impact was remarkable, promptly expanding the distillery and increasing production, before retiring in 1970. He sold to what became Allied Distillers. Then, in 1996, Balblair was purchased by Inver House Distillers. And so began this newest chapter in the history of this timeless distillery.