Bob Dylan's former Scottish Highland hideaway gets major upgrade

The folk hero bought Aultmore, near Nethy Bridge, in 2006 with his brother and visited for a few weeks a year.

Dylan was last seen at the Grade-A listed mansion before the pandemic. Aultmore, which enjoys gorgeous views across the Cairngorms, was subsequently put on the market for offers over £3 million. Latterly, it was used as a wedding venue.

A bidding war for the property unfolded, with the house bought for £4.5m by Angus Dundee Distillers Ltd and renamed Tomintoul after one of the firm’s malts. Aultmore is a malt made by one of its rivals.

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The name change signalled a break with tradition, with further changes to be made to the pile as the distillers create a private residence for guests and staff.

Key additions to the property will bring a games room, cinema and gym/spa to the property, with staff accommodation and 12 ensuite bedrooms to also be created.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) said it did not oppose the changes to the property, which was built in 1911 as a holiday home for Archibald Merrilees, the son of a Scottish merchant who built Russia’s first department store.

The only issue raised by HES was the potential loss of historic fireplaces.

A statement from HES to the planner said: “The submitted floor plans appear to involve concealing and/or removing fireplaces to rooms.

“If the fireplaces are historic, we advise that they should be retained and preserved in situ. Our preference would be for them to remain exposed as they would positively contribute to the architectural and historic character of the rooms.”

Aultmore was later used as a Second World War convalescent hospital and a finishing school owned by a New Zealand-born spy who survived imprisonment in Colditz. It also featured in BBC Scotland drama Monarch of the Glen.

Dylan earlier hailed Robert Burns as his greatest creative inspiration, with the poet’s A Red, Red Rose named as the lyric or verse that had the greatest impact on his life. In 2004, Dylan was awarded an honorary doctorate for music from St Andrews University.

Highland Council has now approved the changes at the property.