Whisky Forum - My Private Tour of Dillon's Small Batch Distillers

Quaich1

I had a wonderful experience this afternoon at Dillon's Small Batch Distillers in Beamsville Ontario within a stone's throw of my city 15 minutes away. I was fortunate to have a private tour of the distillery with the proprietor and distiller, Geoff Dillon. He also was kind enough to allow me to take photos of the distillery, the stills and set-up. He noted that one of the stills was a combined wash and spirit still specially designed by him, manufactured in Germany and was the only one of this particular type in the world.

I am including a series of photos I took today showing first the whole set-up
http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/murray343/CollectionPhotos003_zps51f6826c.jpg

then the traditional pot still
http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/murray343/CollectionPhotos001_zpsdb5a01d3.jpg

the condenser system
http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/murray343/CollectionPhotos002_zps54a13f86.jpg

and then the combined still

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/murray343/CollectionPhotos004_zps8fa0f52b.jpg

Geoff was kind enough to sign a bottle of The White Rye for me which is now part of my whisky stock "empire".

p.s. They do make vodka and bitters as well. Further to The Whie Rye, it won a gold medal at the San Francisco show. As indicated by the distiller, the base is 100% Ontario Rye, the finishing unoaked, the mash bill 10% malt, 90% unmalted. The Disitller's notes: "made small batch in a copper pot still to allow for pure rye notes: spice , sweet, robustness."
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"Always carry a large flagon of whisky in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake."
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William · Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 9:36 pm Post subject:

The pictures look great Murray, i wonder what the production output would be
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There's no bad whisky. Just good whisky and better whisky.

Quaich1 · Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 9:41 pm Post subject:

Keith · Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 11:53 pm Post subject:

Nice pics.

I assume when you say "unoaked" you mean new make spirit which hasnt been matured in oak casks yet.

Quaich1 · Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 11:57 pm Post subject:

James T · Master Of Malts Joined: 05 Feb 2011 Posts: 2989

Great photos, there seem to more and more of these small craft distilleries appearing. Dillon's should do well if they stick to being 100% Canadian rye and dont release the whisky until it is ready. I suppose that is what the vodka side of the distillery is for it will bring an income for Dillons while the whisky matures.