Knockando

John Tytler Thomson, spelled Thompson by some sources, founded it as the Knockando-Glenlivet Distillery, and Charles Doig was the architect.^1,2,3 It began production in 1899.⁸ It soon closed when the whisky bubble burst, partly through the Pattison brothers' trickery.^2,4,8 Its management passed to J. Thompson & Co, the firm that built it.⁸ In 1903, amid an industry slump, it was put up for auction at a reduced upset price, the lowest bid it would sell for, of £4,000.¹

W & A Gilbey paid £3,500 for it, the firm's third Scotch distillery, as part of its move into whisky blending.^2,5,8 Gilbey restarted distilling in 1904, and Charles Gold, the Gilbeys' brother-in-law, began expanding and improving the distillery.^2,4,8 In 1905 it was connected to the Great North of Scotland Railway.^2,6 In 1917 production stopped when the government banned all pot-still distilling to conserve barley stocks.²

In 1962 Gilbey merged with United Wine Traders to form International Distillers & Vintners, which moved the licence to Justerini & Brooks, the firm behind J&B.^2,6,7 The traditional floor maltings closed in 1968.^2,8,9 In 1969 the works were renovated, and the number of stills went from two to four.^8,9