Glen Albyn Distillery Logbook 22nd September 1924

 

The following page of the Distillery logbook, regrettably, leads us away from the hallowed ground of the stillroom of Glen Mhor. However, it takes us across a bustling Telford Street and into the grounds of Glen Albyn, specifically to its equally obscure stillroom, pictured above in a colour restored image from 1917.

This entry provides us with a glimpse into the general deterioration of the stills themselves and the probable effects of distilling during the early 1900s. As always, my thanks to the Highland Archive Centre in Inverness for preserving this book and enabling me to share its story with a broader audience.

'Glen Albyn Distillery 

Inverness

22nd September 1924

Honourable Sirs

I beg to report that the bottom of the wash still at this Distillery has now been renewed. 

The part removed has been replaced by a part of exactly the same dimensions and there is no change in the construction connections position, capacity, or security of the still.

All alterations are practically complete, except for a small portion of brickwork, which it is hoped to complete by the end of this week.

The furnace door has been built in again and is capable of being secured by a Revenue lock. A notice has been received to re-commence brewing wort on Monday first. 

Your Honours approval of the altered still is requested.

Your obedient servant, G.W. Peterkin, officer. 

(updated comments now follow from a W.H,?  of D'wall, signature unclear)

I inspected the repairs yesterday, and am satisfied that the still, its connections and fastening are secure in conformity with the requirements of the standing regulations.

Approval of the repairs is respectfully requested.

(updated comments dated 24/9/24, now follow from a J.W.D. Cole? signature unclear)

Satisfied there is no need from the ??? approval in this case.'

This entry is quite fascinating, and it seems the timing coincides with the conclusion of the traditional quiet season at Glen Albyn, aimed at minimising disruption and allowing brewing to kick off on October 1st, as the team prepares to fulfill orders for the upcoming year.

We can observe the bureaucracy involved in anything related to the stills and the potential for exploiting the situation. Nevertheless, replacing the bottom of the still would have been a rare occurrence, typically happening when the copper had become excessively thin and worn, thus posing a risk.

During this time, the stills at Glen Albyn were heated in the classic way, using naked flames. This, combined with general wear and tear and the possible use of a rummager, would have contributed to a limited lifespan for this component. To our knowledge, this is the earliest reference to the wash still at the distillery. Notably, we are aware that a still was sold to William Grant in 1893 for his new distillery, Balvenie. Additionally, much, if not all, of the production equipment from its original setup was liquidated to settle bankruptcy debts in 1857. Therefore, based on our findings thus far, this wash still may trace back to around 1884, when the distillery's new vision was established.

Slight speculation on my part based on research experience, but as always, it is great to call upon the experience and insight provided by Alan Winchester to validate any theories: 

'Yes, this is an interesting note, and does remind us as you rightly say shows the power and control HM Customs had over the operations, though you could say that they resulted in the distillery operation being quite conservative and has resulted in the style of our distilleries to this day.

Yes, the direct fire still were and are different being built a lot thicker, as we note the rest of the still is not being replaced. Also, they’re not enlarging the still, as this was a direct replacement which if it was would require approval, in past we would have to provide drawings or plans to the Customs, and one wonders if these were stored separately, l must revisit Doug’s drawings in Elgin.

That’s a good shout about Balvenie stills, also it would appear the Albyn stills in photos do not have boil pots, which Balvenie has, but evolution of the stills at Aberlour and Cardhu show that boil pots went out following fires and reconstructions and expansion.  Pity no clue on Coppersmith, or delivery by rail?

Though it’s fascinating glimpse, that replaced wash bottom may have lasted to the 1960s.'

On that note, we move on to the next page and, with any luck, we will revisit the Glen Albyn still room in due time. This seems probable considering the themes highlighted in the Glen Mhor logbook, which indicates that this area is a primary focus of Customs & Excise, and frequently the origin of various incidents and accidents. Additional information is expected to surface.

The Glen Albyn logs are held at the Highland Archives Centre in Inverness (HCA/D31/4/1/23 and HCA/D31/4/1/24) and I'm thankful to the Archive and HMRC for access to these incredible resources and bringing them to life.