Image: Strathisla Distillery by Timothy Tan, 25 December 2012, sourced from Wikimedia Commons and licensed under CC BY 3.0.
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Strathisla’s paired pagoda-like kiln roofs, old stillhouse and reused waterwheel make the specialised architecture of whisky production unusually readable.
Quick facts
- Date
- Founded 1786; principal surviving buildings mid-19th century and later
- Architect / designer
- Successive designers; 1881 waterwheel by James Abernethy
- Type
- Multi-period whisky distillery with paired kilns, stillhouse and warehouses
- Designation
- Listed building, Category A (LB35679)
- OS grid reference
- NJ 42942 51129
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
Grey rubble ranges contain offices, kilns, a stillhouse and duty warehouse. Twin shaped kiln roofs end in ventilators, a brick chimney rises behind, and a reused undershot waterwheel fronts a former malt barn.
Its story
George Taylor founded Milltown Distillery in 1786. Rebuilding around 1880 and 1890 created much of the surviving industrial group, with further conversion during the 1950s and later landscaping of the office court.
Why it is included
Category A listing recognises one of the oldest distillery complexes in the Highlands and the survival of a stillhouse of exceptional industrial interest.
What to notice
- Twin louvred kiln vents above shaped roofs.
- An 1881 waterwheel reused as a landscape feature.
- Gabled bays along the duty warehouse.
Reading the surroundings
This is an operational industrial site. Enter only through current authorised visitor arrangements, obey safety instructions and never cross service yards or production areas independently.
Timeline
- 1786 George Taylor established Milltown Distillery beside Keith’s water supply.
- Circa 1880–1890 Major rebuilding created kilns, warehouses and specialised production ranges.
- 1950s Conversion and remodelling adapted older buildings to changed production needs.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The exact date of each surviving range and current visitor route were not independently checked.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Strathisla Distillery, LB35679 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB35679 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
- Moray Council: Keith conservation area appraisal — Town history, distilling context and Strathisla’s relationship with Milton Tower and the River Isla.
Location
OS grid reference NJ 42942 51129 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; an additional source confirms record identity and archival context. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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