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Drumin & Whisky
Drumin lies, a little over a mile, to the North of the current site of the Glenlivet Distillery at Minmore. What is less well known is that James Skinner was considered instrumental in saving the original legal distillery of George Smith (founder of the Glenlivet Distillery). George Smith was the tenant of Upper Drumin farm at the time of the Act of Parliament in 1824 that permitted legal distilling of whisky.
He was the first in the district to set up a small legal still. (Or perhaps legalise his previously illegal still?) There were other competitors with at least two other local tenants having set up legal stills but who subsequently gave up these enterprises, presumably, to concentrate on farming. George Smith's business was also in a perilous state and he was, at one point, forced to give up distilling, much to the concern of James Skinner. Skinner was no altruist as his main concern was that the local grain could now only be disposed of to the "smugglers" and this would cause the Factor much difficulty in trying to control this "trade". Skinner persuaded Smith to sell his cattle and implements to concentrate on distilling; he then effected settlement with Smith's creditors, secured capital for him and made strenuous and successful efforts to build up a market for whisky among the nobility. From these shaky beginnings grew the famous Minmore Distillery and "The Glenlivet" Whisky.
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