A refurbishment at one of Scotland's oldest whisky distilleries has seen an efficient plastic filter system installed.

The modern trickle filter, nearly five metres high, will make sure waste water that runs off from Tamdhu Distillery to the river Spey is clean.

Plastic Media Engineering (PME), part of the SDS group, took on the refurbishment project to demolish the five existing filters and replace them and the distribution building with one new trickle filter.

This will allow Tamdhu to produce more whisky.


The new system comprises a glass-lined galvanised tank some 7.5 metre in diameter and 4.7 metres high fitted with a rotary distributor, and has a GRP top and galvanised access ladder.

Inside is 110m³ of PME's 19mm cross flow plastic media in seven layers and made of recycled PVC.

This plastic media is up to 2.5 times more efficient than other types of media and replaces the coke media that was used before, which is now hard to find.

The distillery manager Sandy Couts praised the project team, who worked through temperatures of -10°C and temperatures of up to 12 inches of snow to install the filter in 28 days.

She said: "We were really impressed with how the project came together at quite some speed despite the prevailing conditions. We are pleased with the result and the plant is working efficiently".

Established in 1897, Tamdhu Distillery produces about 4 million litres of whisky every year.

For more information go to www.sdslimited.com.