Tormore isn’t a reputation most informal whiskey drinkers know. However that’s about to vary.
In 2022, Tormore Distillery was bought by Elixir Distillers, the corporate behind manufacturers like Port Askaig and Components of Islay. That acquisition marked the start of a brand new chapter for one in all Speyside’s most distinctive, but long-overlooked distilleries.
Now, the primary indicators of that revival have arrived. In mid-2025, Tormore launched the Blueprint Sequence, three restricted 10-year-old single malts. These whiskies function an introduction to what Elixir Distillers has deliberate. A full core vary is anticipated in 2026.
For those who’ve by no means heard of Tormore, or solely vaguely keep in mind it as a “hidden gem” bottled by independents, right here’s your likelihood to rise up to hurry. We’ll discover its historical past, style profile, and why this quiet Speyside distillery is making noise once more.
A Distillery With Grand Ambitions
Tormore was inbuilt 1958. On the time, it was the primary new malt distillery constructed in Scotland within the twentieth century.
From the start, it was designed to impress. The distillery’s backers (Schenley Worldwide, the American firm behind Lengthy John blended scotch) needed a showpiece relatively than a traditional-looking distillery
They employed Sir Albert Richardson, then president of the Royal Academy, to design the location. He gave Tormore a glance that was in contrast to the rest within the business. The buildings are whitewashed with inexperienced copper roofs. A tall clock tower anchors the location, which sits proper off the principle highway into Speyside.
The hedges had been trimmed to appear to be whisky stills. The clock chimes Scottish tunes each quarter-hour. There’s even a curling pond, although it has by no means been used.
In 1986, the location was granted listed standing for its architectural significance. It stays one of the crucial visually placing distilleries in Scotland.
A Quiet Workhorse for Blends
For many of its historical past, Tormore has offered whisky for blends. It was by no means an enormous identify by itself.
The distillery was initially created to produce malt whisky for the Lengthy John mix. Schenley Worldwide, an American spirits firm, owned each the mix and the distillery. Tormore was a part of their push to safe dependable whisky shares in the course of the scotch increase of the Nineteen Sixties.
Within the many years that adopted, possession modified palms a number of instances. Tormore was bought to Whitbread in 1975. Then it turned a part of Allied Distillers in 1989. Pernod Ricard took over in 2005 as a part of its acquisition of Allied Domecq.
By means of all of that, Tormore remained behind the scenes. Most of its output went into blended scotch manufacturers like Ballantine’s. It produced tens of millions of liters every year, however little of it was bottled as a single malt.
The Single Malt That Slipped Underneath the Radar
Tormore didn’t launch an official single malt till 2004. That first bottling was a 12-year-old expression from Allied Domecq. It was quietly launched and noticed restricted distribution.
After Pernod Ricard took over in 2005, two new age-stated expressions adopted. In 2014, Tormore 14 Yr Outdated and 16 Yr Outdated had been launched in choose markets and the 12-year-old was taken out of the market. However these whiskies by no means gained large recognition. Pernod Ricard targeted its consideration on different manufacturers.
In the meantime, impartial bottlers like Signatory, Cadenhead’s, and Gordon & MacPhail launched single casks that helped construct a small however loyal following for Tormore.
What Does Tormore Style Like?
Tormore’s whisky is basic Speyside: clean, fruity, and approachable. Anticipate flavors like pear, apple, melon, and mushy spice, with hints of vanilla and honey.
That character comes from the distillation setup. Every nonetheless has a air purifier, which helps create a lighter, cleaner spirit.
Even in refill bourbon casks, the orchard fruit notes stand out. This has made Tormore a favourite amongst impartial bottlers.
Now below Elixir Distillers, the cask vary is increasing. Sherry, toasted oak, and wine casks are all being explored. However the signature fruitiness stays on the coronary heart of the whisky.
The Elixir Distillers Period
Elixir Distillers purchased Tormore from Pernod Ricard in 2022. For whisky followers, it marked a contemporary begin.
Elixir, based by Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh, is thought for manufacturers like Port Askaig and Components of Islay. Their focus has all the time been on high quality.
With Tormore, they’re taking a long-term view. They’ve secured the distillery and a big inventory of aged whisky, giving them the flexibility to construct a full single malt vary at once.
A customer heart is deliberate, and manufacturing might develop. However conventional strategies are being preserved, and a few have already returned.
New releases are bottled at 48% ABV with no chill filtration. The main target is on taste, not quantity.
The Tormore Blueprint Sequence: A Glimpse of What’s to Come
In June 2025, Elixir Distillers unveiled the Blueprint Sequence. It consists of three 10-year-old single malts, every matured in a special cask kind. These are the primary official Tormore bottlings launched below Elixir’s possession.
Every expression is bottled at 48% ABV and is non-chill filtered. That method places the concentrate on taste and texture.
The three releases are:
- Tormore 10 Yr Outdated Bourbon Barrel
Matured in first-fill bourbon casks. Provides notes of caramel, coconut, vanilla, and mushy oak spice. Highlights the spirit’s orchard fruit core.
- Tormore 10 Yr Outdated Cream Sherry Cask
Completed in cream sherry casks, which mix Oloroso with Pedro Ximénez. Provides sweetness, dried fruits, and orange peel to the profile.
- Tormore 10 Yr Outdated Toasted Barrel
Aged in custom-charred American oak. Deepens the flavour with daring vanilla, charred wooden, and heat baking spice.
On the time of launch, Tormore Distillery Supervisor Polly Logan stated, “We’re extremely excited to supply our Tormore Blueprint to market. It is a first step in showcasing our fantastic spirit and giving a sneak preview of our future Tormore bottlings – and we’re so pleased with the whisky.”
A New Chapter For Tormore
Tormore has all the time had the elements to be a terrific single malt. It has a singular setting, strong manufacturing strategies, and a spirit stuffed with character. For many years, it remained a quiet contributor to blends and a secret amongst impartial bottlers.
Now, that’s altering.
Underneath Elixir Distillers, Tormore is coming into a brand new chapter. The Blueprint Sequence is simply the beginning. With a full core vary coming in 2026 and plans to open the distillery to the general public, Tormore is not within the background.
For those who’re a curious whisky drinker, that is the proper time to get acquainted. Tormore’s revival is likely one of the most enjoyable developments in scotch whisky proper now.
