Angus Dundee Distillers

The Drinks Business and Whiskypedia name Terence (Terry) Hillman as its founder, and say his children Tania and Aaron now run it.^1,2,3 It became Angus Dundee plc in 1988 and took its present name, Angus Dundee Distillers plc, in 2000.¹

In August 2000 it bought Tomintoul, then silent (not making spirit), from Whyte & Mackay; days later Robert Fleming, now master distiller, saw the first cask under new ownership filled.^3,4,5 In 2003 it bought Glencadam, mothballed (shut but kept ready to restart) by Allied Domecq since 2000, to add to its spirit supply, and soon restarted production.^9,10,11 In 2005 the Hillman family set up the Ballantruan Whisky Company to sell a peated version of Tomintoul, released that year as Old Ballantruan.^5,12,13 The whisky takes its name from the Ballantruan Spring, the water source of Tomintoul.^5,12,13

In 2012 it brought a bottling plant at Coatbridge, near Glasgow, back into full production after many years idle, creating 33 jobs.^3,14 Chairman Terence Hillman said the site also held warehousing and blending facilities.^3,14 In 2019 The Courier reported that most of its turnover was bulk-blended whisky, and that it blended William Peel, a Scotch marketed by Marie Brizard of France.^3,6

In December 2023 it announced that it was building a malt whisky distillery and visitor centre at Thousand Island Lake in Chun'an, China.^15,16,17 Director Brian Megson said the project built on its presence in China, a market the firm sees as one of the most important for the future.^15,16,17 The firm calls Chun'an its first malt whisky distillery in China, and a ceremonial filling of its first cask later moved it from building to production.^2,7,8