Duncan Taylor
Place in the hierarchy
The distillery in brief
Aberdeenshire-based independent bottling company.
History
The modern history of Duncan Taylor began in 2001 when former Glendronach distillery employee Euan Shand acquired the firm and its stocks of whisky, establishing the operation in his home town of Huntly.
Duncan Taylor had been founded in Glasgow in 1938 as a cask broker and trading company, amassing over time a remarkable portfolio of rare, aged casks of whisky, which have formed the core of Shand’s independent bottling operation.
The Black Bull brand also has 19th century origins, first being registered in 1864 by Dundee grocer and whisky blender George Willsher. Against the prevailing trends, he opted for a high strength product with a 50% malt content, and when Euan Shand resurrected the brand in 2009 he remained faithful to Willshier’s original principles.
Timeline
- 1938 Duncan Taylor & Co. is established as a whisky merchant and broker, primarily dealing in casks for blending.
- 1994 The company is acquired by Euan Shand, marking a new direction for the business.
- 2002 Duncan Taylor begins releasing whiskies under its own independent bottling labels, including the 'Rare Auld' collection.
- 2007 The company opens its new headquarters and bottling plant in Huntly, Aberdeenshire.
- 2011 Duncan Taylor relaunches the 'Black Bull' blended Scotch whisky brand.
- 2017 Duncan Taylor acquires the Parkmore distillery site in Dufftown, with plans for a new distillery.
In catalogue All in catalogue
