Drink | Tullibardine
Look at your road map every way and you’ll appreciate that Blackford and the Tullibardine Distillery are at the centre of things, easily reached especially from the central belt of Scotland, just where the routes north bend round the Ochil Hills. These round and rolling hills were important in the village’s development. Pure spring water flows off them and this reliable source was in use by the 12th century by local breweries. That the beer tasted better because of the water quality is confirmed by the fact that, in 1488, King James IV ordered a supply for his coronation! That brewery stood on the site of today’s distillery.
In fact, there was an active brewery on the site till at least the beginning of the 20th century and the buildings remained till conversion and rebuilding into a distillery in 1947. Eventually this distillery was mothballed in the early 1990s. Finally, under new owners, Tullibardine once again was revived – along with some whisky stocks - and opened its doors to visitors in November 2004, by which time spirits were already flowing from the stills.
Great efforts have been made to retain as many of the traditional methods of production as possible. These in turn rely on the experience and skill of the distillery manager and operators. This is what makes the distillery tours here so fascinating.
As for the product of the stills, the intention is to bottle in vintage editions rather than specified ages. Casks from 1964, 1973, 1988 and 1993 have already been bottled, the 1988 acknowledging the 500th anniversary of King James’s beer order! And continuing the beer association, Tulibardine has also added a whisky ale to its product range.
But aside from fine vintage whiskies, the Tullibardine experience has plenty more on offer. The strategically important location has meant the site has also attracted a variety of retail units, including the quality lines on offer from Baxters, the famous Scottish food manufacturer. Another feature is Tullibardine’s Café 1488. Here, everything on the menu is freshly prepared on the premises by chef Roddy White and his team. The emphasis is on using quality Scottish traditional ingredients but giving them a contemporary styling.
Altogether, it’s a spectacular transformation of a historic site into an exciting food, drink and retail centre for the 21st century.