Braeval
Full Speyside food & drink guide — distilleries, restaurants, where to stay, when to go.
At 355m above sea level, Braeval is the highest distillery in Scotland — built in 1973 in the remote uplands near Tomintoul. Production feeds Chivas Regal; official single-malt bottlings are very rare, with most enthusiast releases coming via independent bottlers.
Braeval is Scotland's highest distillery at 355 metres above sea level — a remote Livet valley outpost built in 1973 to supply Chivas Regal. The altitude and isolation create a distinctive slow-fermentation character. First released as Braes of Glenlivet in 1994, it's now officially Braeval. Pernod Ricard released its first official 14 Year Old in 2021. Remote and curious.
Core range
Indie bottlings
46% ABV · Varies by bottler
Chivas blender's Speyside — almost no official single malts. Indie bottlers (Berry Bros, Gordon & MacPhail) release the occasional cask. Light, classical Speyside style.
Food pairings
| Whisky | Food | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Braeval 14 | Mountain herbs or game | High-altitude spirit suits the produce of its landscape. |
Getting there
Car. Very remote, near Tomintoul in the Livet valley. No public transport.
Where to eat nearby
- Tomintoul villageArea
30 min — the nearby settlement.
Where to stay near Braeval
Braeval (formerly Braes of Glenlivet) is deep in the upper Livet, one of Scotland's highest and most remote distilleries at around 300m. No public tours. Tomintoul (6 miles north) is the only realistic nearby base; Grantown-on-Spey (25 miles) has more accommodation options. This is self-catering cottage country — Livet Glen has several farmhouse lets.
Tomintoul village hotel.
Where to stay near Braeval
Hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering within easy reach of Braeval.
Booking links are affiliate links — we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Location
Chapeltown, Glenlivet, Banffshire, AB37 9JS
View on map →Frequently asked questions
+Is Braeval really the highest distillery?
At 355m above sea level in the Livet valley, it claims to be the highest working distillery in Scotland.
+Is Braeval open to visitors?
No — production facility in a remote Livet valley location, not open to visitors. The drive through the Livet valley is spectacular but access is for the view, not a tour.
+Where is Braeval distillery?
Braeval is in Speyside. Postcode AB37.
+When was Braeval distillery founded?
Braeval was founded in 1973, making it roughly 53 years old.
Compare with similar distilleries
Light, clean Speyside similar to Allt-a-Bhainne and Tamnavulin.
Allt-a-Bhainne
Built in 1975 to supply Chivas Regal, Allt-a-Bhainne went without an official single-malt release for decades before Pernod Ricard finally launched core expressions in 2018. Architecturally distinctive pagoda-free design, and surprisingly affordable at retail.
Tamnavulin
Built in the 1960s during a wave of Speyside expansion, Tamnavulin is best known today for its budget-friendly Double Cask bottling, regularly seen below £22 in supermarkets.
Other distilleries owned by Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard)
Distilleries that share Braeval's corporate parent — useful context if you're comparing house styles within an owner's stable.
Allt-a-Bhainne
Built in 1975 to supply Chivas Regal, Allt-a-Bhainne went without an official single-malt release for decades before Pernod Ricard finally launched core expressions in 2018. Architecturally distinctive pagoda-free design, and surprisingly affordable at retail.
Glenburgie
A large Chivas Brothers distillery near Forres whose spirit is the backbone of Ballantine's blended Scotch. Official single malt releases are very rare — single-cask independent bottlings are the usual way to try Glenburgie on its own.
Dalmunach
Chivas's architecturally striking 2015 distillery, built on the site of the demolished Imperial distillery in Carron. Sits directly opposite Dailuaine across the Spey. Spirit feeds Chivas's blending programme; very limited single malt availability so far.
Glen Keith
Built in 1957 as a sister distillery to Strathisla across the road in Keith, Glen Keith was one of the first Scottish distilleries designed for efficiency rather than tradition. It closed in 1999 and reopened in 2013 after extensive refurbishment. The whisky is light, fruity, and approachable — designed primarily for the Chivas Regal blend but increasingly released as a single malt. The Distillery Edition bottlings that occasionally appear are worth trying, though the distillery itself isn't open to visitors.
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