Although Tomatin’s initial operation lasted from 1897 to 1906, its reopening under new management in 1909 marked the beginning of an extraordinary journey. This remote Highland distillery, situated between Aviemore and Inverness, would eventually become the largest malt whisky distillery in Scotland.

The distillery’s growth and subsequent downsizing reflect the industry’s fluctuating fortunes. It expanded from two stills to four in 1956, then to six in 1958, increased to 11 in 1961, and saw the most significant growth in 1974 with the addition of 12 stills, bringing the total to 23 and raising its overall capacity to 10 million litres per annum.

However, this growth was unsustainable. By 1974, there were early signs of a downturn in the Scotch whisky market. Tomatin never operated at full capacity and went into liquidation in 1986.

The distillery was rescued by two of its Japanese bulk customers, Takara Shuzo and Okura & Co (with Marubeni taking over Okura’s stake in 1998), making it the first Scotch distillery under Japanese ownership.

Since then, there has been a gradual and steady recalibration. In 1997, the company acquired blending firm J&W Hardie, adding the prestigious Antiquary blend to its portfolio. Eleven stills were decommissioned in 2000, and today, the distillery produces only 2 million litres annually from six wash stills and four spirit stills.

Another significant change has been a shift from bulk supply to single malt production (alongside Antiquary). Reflecting ongoing market trends, Tomatin has expanded its single malt range to include various age statements and introduced a peated variant called Cu Bocan.