Burn O'Bennie Distillery — Highland Single Malt Whisky

Burn O'Bennie Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery located on the edge of Banchory, in the Highland region of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was founded in 2019 and is currently owned by Michael Bain, the entrepreneur behind Deeside Brewery, via the Arden Spirit Holdings group. Rather than releasing an aged single malt straight away, Burn O'Bennie has built its early reputation on flavour-led experimentation, contract distilling, and independent bottling of other producers' casks.

History

Burn O'Bennie traces its roots to Deeside Brewery, which Michael Bain established in Banchory in 2012. Building on that experience, the whisky venture was incorporated in October 2019 (initially as Half Gill Limited, later renamed Burnobennie Distillery Limited) and is described by its founders as the purpose-built successor to an earlier experimental micro-distillery on Deeside. Production got underway in 2020 at a dedicated unit within the Burn o' Bennie Business Park on the outskirts of Banchory, on Royal Deeside.

The distillery has pursued an unconventional production philosophy from the outset: fermenting a wash at roughly double the industry-standard strength, distilling slowly at low temperature, and using heritage barley varieties (including Golden Promise) alongside home-smoked, crystal and chocolate malts to build flavour into the new-make spirit itself, reducing reliance on cask influence and cutting water and energy use. Respected whisky writer Charles MacLean MBE has publicly praised the quality of the young spirit produced there. Because the operation is still maturing its own stock, Burn O'Bennie has built its commercial activity around contract distilling, bespoke and independent bottling for other spirits brands, and sales of new-make and maturing spirit by the cask — including a collaborative Macallan Series of independently bottled single-cask releases produced with artist Peter Howson. The distillery's own first single malt bottlings are expected around 2027.

Quick Facts

• Region: Highland (Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire)
• Founded: 2019 (production began 2020)
• Owner: Michael Bain / Arden Spirit Holdings
• Status: Active

Core Range

Burn O'Bennie has not yet released an aged core-range single malt of its own; its first own-label bottlings are anticipated around 2027. In the meantime, the distillery sells new-make and maturing spirit by the cask and produces bespoke and independent bottlings, including the Macallan Series — a set of independently bottled single-cask Macallan releases (Series #1–#3, from vintages 1989–1991, bottled at 43% ABV in 700ml bottles) produced in partnership with artist Peter Howson.