Knockdhu anCnoc

Knockdhu distillery is a whisky distillery situated in Knock, Banffshire and owned by Inver House Distillers Limited. The distillery was founded in 1893 by John Morrison, who bought the land from the Duke of Fife to produce whisky for Haig's after several springs on the southern slope of Knock Hill were discovered. The site was also chosen for its proximity to the Knock Station on the Banff branch line of the Great North of Scotland Railway between Aberdeen and Elgin. Not only was the new location convenient to the railway but it was also within a few miles of a district noted both for its barley and inexhaustible source of excellent peat. The distillery was built using local eye grey granite, with two coal fired stills, which are now steam heated. The two pot stills could turn out 2,500 gallons of spirit per week. It was also the first malt distillery built for the Distillers Company Ltd. It started production in 1894 and remained in continuous operation until 1931, when it was forced to close for a few years due to the economic depression. Wartime restrictions on barley forced a second closure from 1940 to 1945. After the war, with the distillery connected to the national grid, the steam powered engine, which had been used since its founding, was retired in 1947.

Source: Wikipedia