Glen Ord Distillery

The History of Glen Ord Distillery

1838

The MacKenzies of Ord feature largely in the development of the distillery. The family was granted lands in the west of Scotland by King Alexander III as early as 1263. Thomas MacKenzie of Ord inherited the estate in 1820 and set about rejuvenating the area. He leased land for the distillery to be built, as he envisaged an industry where local men could have all-year round employment. It also gave him a ready market for his barley.

There was competition from 9 small licensed distilleries in the area, most being run as co-operatives of 10-12 tenant farmers. The entire barley crop was used for distilling - the quickest means of turning it into cash to pay the rent.

There are records of an ale house and meal mill on the Glen Ord site in 1549, the meal mill finally closing in 1958. There was also an extensive piggery, taking advantage of by-products from distilling.

The distillery was water-powered by 2 large water wheels driven by water from Loch nam Bonnach and Loch nan Eun. Water for mashing was then taken from the Cuckoo Well and added to the whisky’s distinctive character.

The distillery employed 18 people.

The first licence holders were Robert Johnstone and Donald McLennan, trading as Ord Distillery Company. They both subsequently went bankrupt.

1870

McLennan died and his widow married a bank clerk from Beauly, Alexander MacKenzie, who was put in charge of the business. Around this time, Glen Ord was sold in Singapore, S. Africa and other British Colonies.

1880

Some Glen Ord was being sold as Glen Oran.

1896

The distillery was sold at a price of £15,800 to James Watson & Son, whisky blenders of Dundee. This was their 4th acquisition of a distillery as they were committed to obtaining high quality whisky - sales were principally of blended whiskies, particularly 'Watson's No. 10'.

1917-1919

Glen Ord was closed by government order during the First World War, in the interest of conserving barley for foodstuffs.

1923

Watson’s went into voluntary liquidation. The distillery was sold to Thomas Dewars & Sons of Perth, who amalgamated with the Distillers Company Ltd.

1930

Ord was transferred to the ownership of Scottish Malt Distillers, a subsidiary company of DCL.

1939-1945

Closed again for greater part of Second world war.

1949

Electricity came to Glen Ord, until then the distillery was lit by paraffin lamp.

1958

Meal mill closed and the single malt was sold as Or.

1961

Closure of floor maltings; new Saladin boxes built.

1966

The 2 coal-fired stills increased to 6, all of which were fitted with steam-heated coils.

1968

A large mechanical floor maltings was built beside the distillery to meet the needs of 7 SMD distilleries, however Glen Ord continued to use their own Saladin boxes until 1983.

1985

Guinness take-over. Malt and grain distilling becoming United Distillers Ltd.

1997

Guinness and Grand Metropolitan merge to form DIAGEO, with head offices in London.

The Singleton of Glen Ord

Now available to buy at Glen Ord Distillery… exclusive offer for distillery visitors only

Diageo launched a new 12-year-old single malt Scotch whisky, The Singleton Of Glen Ord™,  in selected Asian markets back in 2006.  Until now It has only been sold in Asia but now it is also available for visitors to Glen Ord Distillery itself. It will not be available elsewhere in the UK. The Singleton of Glen Ord is a rich, smooth-tasting, well-balanced whisky with distinctive packaging.

Glen Ord distillery was founded in 1838, making it one of the oldest in Scotland. Situated on the edge of the Black Isle west of Inverness, Glen Ord continues to malt its own barley and to use the long fermentation and slow distillation methods followed there for generations. For the new Singleton of Glen Ord,  a higher proportion of the liquid has been matured in European oak, delivering a rich, smooth-tasting, well-rounded style.

The new single malt comes in a traditional 19th century-style blue glass flask with fresh, modern labelling with scripted lettering, a salmon emblem and back-label detail on the Glen Ord distillery giving it strong visual presence.

Bottling of the traditional Glen Ord™ 12 year old in its square decanter-style bottle has ceased but it remains available in some specialist outlets as well as at the distillery, until stocks run out.

Expert praise for The Singleton of Glen Ord ™

“...plenty of flavour and a fragrant finish...very skilfully composed. Beautifully balanced, very complex. A sophisticated all-rounder, at its best after dinner.”
The late Michael Jackson, world-renowned whisky expert, author and columnist.
 
“Smooth and rounded...as good an example (of this style) as I have ever tasted... I poured myself another immediately.”
Charlie Maclean, author of Malt Whisky and leading whisky writer.

Further information

Please contact the Visitor Centre for details on our mail order service – 01463 872004