Millburn Distillery Team 16th October 1963

The iconic image of the distillery team around a cask is always a joy to behold, and this particular snapshot was taken on October 16, 1963.

My thanks to the Lost Inverness Team for providing the original photo, which I have enhanced using some A.I. tools. These also took the liberty of removing the watermark, but all the credit belongs to the Lost Inverness group, as well as to Bill for bringing this image to my attention. As a devoted fan of Millburn, he encouraged me to return to this website.

He makes a valid point; life has been quite hectic lately, with Glen Mhor and its concluding articles demanding attention, while also shifting focus to Glen Albyn. Time is indeed a precious resource, particularly when it comes to Millburn.

In essence, this image completes the hat-trick, as we now have visuals from all three of the lost distilleries. It begins with Glen Albyn in 1903, showcasing men proudly displaying their everyday tools, and moves to Glen Mhor in 1939, where caps appear to be the trendy accessory of the time.

On the other hand, Millburn brings us closer to the modern era, and I particularly enjoy the labourer in the top right corner who seems to have unexpectedly joined the scene - photobombing in true 1960s fashion. Regardless of the image, various generations come together, proudly celebrating their craft - if only we could access these stories today and breathe life into them.

Sadly, this appears to be just a fleeting moment in history, as the very next year, with the introduction of Saladin Boxes in 1964 on site, the era of traditional floor malting concluded at the distillery. Likely accompanied by layoffs due to the labour-intensive nature of the original methods, which remain the best.

Comments on the Lost Inverness Facebook page mention names such as Jim MacLeod, Charlie Jamieson, Theodore Davidson, Donald Mackenzie Jr., Sandy Mann, and Alick Urquhart. Hopefully, we can add more and tell a few stories in the coming years.