Timeline – Chivas Brothers
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1700’s
1775
Beginning of a new Era
1786
Strathisla
Located on the banks of the River Isla, beautiful Strathisla is the oldest working distillery in the Scottish Highlands. Bought by Chivas Brothers in 1950, it is both the home and the heart of Chivas Regal.
1786
1786
Robbie Burns pens his famous ‘Address to the Haggis’
1789
The French Revolution begins and lasts until 1799
1790
President of the United States George Washington gives the first State of the Union address
1792
George Smith (1792 – 1871)
Founder of The Glenlivet Distillery in 1824
1792
1793
Plymouth
Distilling was introduced at Black Friars in the late 1700s making it is the oldest working gin distillery in England.
1793
1793
Plymouth Gin
Plymouth gin is believed to have been created in the late 1700s and has been made on the site every since.
1793
1800’s
1809
George Ballantine (1809 – 1891)
Started his own shop in Edinburgh in 1827
1809
1810
James Chivas (1810 – 1886)
James along with his brother John, established Chivas Brothers in 1857
1810
1820
Beefeater
Beefeater’s roots in London can be traced back to 1820 and the current distillery, in Kennington, is its third home in the city. Beefeater is the only historic dry gin still distilled in London.
1820
1823
Excise Act is passed encouraging distilleries to take up legal distilling
1824
The Glenlivet
Established by George Smith in 1824, The Glenlivet was the first licensed distillery in “the valley of the smooth flowing one.” The Prince of Wales officially opened the expansion of the distillery in 2010.
1824
1824
Miltonduff
Originally a mill, Miltonduff was converted to a legal distillery in 1824. Today, it is Chivas Brothers’ production headquarters. Miltonduff Scotch whisky is a key malt in Ballantine’s.
1824
1829
Glenburgie
Kilnflat Distillery was built in 1829 but there are references to distilling in the area as far back as 1810. The name changed to Glenburgie in 1878, after nearby Burgie Castle. In 2003, the distillery was rebuilt near the original site. Two new stills were installed in 2006.
1829
1830
Aeneas Coffey is granted a patent for his design of a two-column continuous still.
1830
James Fleming (1830 – 1895)
Aberlour distillery is founded by James Fleming in 1879 on the banks of the Lour Burn.
1830
1835
James Burroughs (1835 – 1897)
The creator of a London Dry gin that came to be known as Beefeater.
1835
1865
Charles Howard (1865 – 1935)
Master Blender who created Chivas Regal 25 Year Old in 1909
1865
1868
Alexander Smith (1868 – 1935)
1879
Aberlour
Founded by James Fleming in 1879, Aberlour Distillery sits on the banks of the Lour Burn. Fire destroyed part of the distillery in 1898 and it was rebuilt by the famous distillery architect Charles Doig.
1879
1879
Thomas Edison applies for the patent for his invention, the incandescent light bulb
1883
Beefeater Gin
In 1883, James Burrough created a London Dry Gin that later took the name BEEFEATER after taking inspiration from the nickname of the Yeoman Warders at the historic Tower of London
1883
1884
Harry Hatch (1884 – 1946)
Presdient of Hiram Walker that bought Ballantine’s in 1935 and made it a leader in the Scotch whisky business
1884
1885
Scapa
The distillery was built on the shores of Scapa Flow on Orkney by Macfarlane and Townsend. In 2004, the future of the distillery was guaranteed by extensive renovation and in 2015 a visitor centre was opened for the first time.
1885
1885
The Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor.
Charles Dow publishes the first edition of the Dow Jones Industrial Average
1885
1886
Jimmy Barlcay (1886 – 1963)
Acquired George Ballantine & Son in 1919, which he in turn sold to Hiram Walker, and later bought Strathisla Distillery for Chivas Brothers at a public auction in 1950.
1886
1889
Sam Bronfman (1889 – 1971)
President of Seagram purchased Chivas Brothers in 1949
1889
1893
Charles Julian (1893 – 1974)
Chivas Brothers Master Blender (1949 – 1958) and was responsible for the release of the first Royal Salute 21 Year Old in 1953
1893
1894
Longmorn
Longmorn Distillery was built by John Duff, one of the great personalities of the Victorian whisky industry, in 1894. The National Guardian reported, in 1897, that it “jumped into favour with buyers from the earliest day.”
1894
1894
Manchester City Football Club is formed in England
1894
John Duff
John Duff, founder of Longmorn Distillery in 1894
1894
1897
Glentauchers
Buchanan and Lowrie founded Glentauchers Distillery on the fields of Tauchers Farm in 1897. In 2007, the distillery became Chivas Brothers’ Centre of Excellence, where all new Distillery Technicians are trained on manual operations.
1897
1897
Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria celebrated in the United Kingdom
1900’s
1902
Queen Anne
The trade mark ‘Queen Anne’ was registered in 1902 and named after Queen Anne (1665 – 1714), last of the Stuart Monarchs.
1902
1909
Chivas Regal
Master Blender Charles Howard, created Chivas Regal in 1909. Chivas Regal was a blended whisky containing whisky 25 years old
1909
1909
Long John
Long John Scotch Whisky takes its name from Long John McDonald. Long John was a malt whisky until c1909 when it became a blended whisky.
1909
1910
Ballantine’s Finest
Ballantine’s Finest was developed around 1910 and became George Ballantine & Sons primary export blended whisky to a worldwide market.
1910
1912
Something Special
Hill Thomson & Co. Ltd. rename their Bonnie Briar whisky to Something Special.
1912
1927
Strathclyde
Strathclyde Distillery was established in 1927 by the Scottish Grain Distillery Co. Ltd. The complex also housed the Kinclaith malt distillery, built in 1957. Kinclaith operated until 1975 when it made way for extensions to the grain distillery.
1927
1927
The first transatlantic telephone call is made via radio from New York City to London
1937
George Roberston
George Robertson became the first Ballantine’s Master Blender of the Hiram Walker era.
1937
1953
Royal Salute
Bottled and launched in June 1953, the original Royal Salute 21 Year Old was made using whiskies laid down in the 1920s and 1930s – part of the remarkable Chivas Brothers’ inventory of finest quality matured Scotch whiskies.
1953
1957
Glen Keith
Officially opened in May 1960, Glen Keith was the first Speyside Distillery to be built in the 20th Century. Glen Keith was one of the first distilleries to automate the production process. It was silent between 1999 and 2013.
1957
1957
The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to orbit the earth
1958
Tormore
Officially opened in October 1960, Tormore was the first distillery in the 20th Century to be built on a new site. Tormore derives its name from the Gaelic Torr mór and means “The Big Hill”. It is a listed building.
1958
1958
The U.S. Army inducts Elvis Presley, transforming The King Of Rock & Roll into U.S. Private #53310761
1958
Allan Baille
Chivas Brothers Master Blender (1958 – 1965)
1958
1959
Jack Goudy
Jack Goudy started training under George Robertson in 1950 and became became Ballantine’s Master Blender in 1959
1959
1964
Paisley
The Paisley site was officially opened by Sam Bronfman, President of Seagram Ltd, in 1964. The North bottling hall was opened by Edgar Bronfman Snr. in 1981. The Paisley Headquarters of Chivas Brothers houses many administrative functions.
1964
1964
The Beatles vault to the #1 spot on the U.S. singles charts for the first time, with “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, starting the British Invasion in America.
1965
Passport
Chivas Brothers’ Master Blenders Alan Baillie and Jimmy Lang create Passport whisky.
1965
1965
Jimmy Lang (1928 – 2009)
Chivas Brothers Master Blender (1965 – 1989)
1965
1965
100 Pipers
100 Pipers Blended Scotch Whisky was created by Chivas Brothers Master Blender Alan Baillie in 1965.
1965
1967
Glenallachie
Founded by Mackinlay, McPherson and Co. and designed by the architect William Delme Evans. The third distillery purchased by Pernod Ricard in 1989 and referred to as the home of Clan Campbell whisky. Sold by Chivas Brothers to the Glenallachie Consortium in 2017.
1967
1967
The Celtic Football Club becomes the first British football club to win the European Cup/Champions League
1970s
Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell blended Scotch Whisky may have existed as a brand as early as 1948, but the launch of the Clan Campbell 5 Year Old blend in France in the late 1970s was the company’s entry into the standard blended Scotch sector.
1970s
1973
Braeval
Founded by Chivas Brothers and originally known as Braes of Glenlivet, Braeval Distillery is situated in a remote and beautiful part of the Highlands. Braeval is one of the highest distilleries in Scotland at 1,665 feet above sea level.
1973
1973
The Battle of the Sexes: Billie Jean King defeats Bobby Riggs in a televised tennis match
1975
Allt a’ Bhainne
The distillery was built by Chivas Brothers in 1975, to secure malt whiskies for its blended whiskies. Allt a’ Bhainne means “Burn of Milk” in Gaelic.
1975
1975
Bill Gates and Paul Allen found Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
1977
Kilmalid
Hiram Walker opens their advanced blending complex with a filling and blending capacity of 40 million p.g. The first bottling line started in 1982.
1977
1977
Optical fiber is first used to carry live telephone traffic
1989
Colin Scott
Chivas Brothers Master Blender since 1989
1989
1994
Robert Hicks
Robert Hicks worked with Jack Goudy for 24 years before becoming Ballantine’s Master Blender in 1994.
1994
2005
Sandy Hyslop
Chivas Brothers Master Blender since 2005
2005
2014
Dalmunach
Chivas Brothers completed the construction of the new Dalmunch Distillery in 2014 with production starting in October. It sits on the site of the old Imperial Distillery, established in 1897.
2014
2014
The Rosetta spacecraft’s Philae probe successfully lands on Comet 67P, the first time in history that a spacecraft has landed on such an object