Glendronach was the last distillery in Scotland to have coal fired stills. As a result, the metal at the base of the pot still is thicker than in many others, as it had to deal with direct fire and intense heat. This was replaced by modern steam heating system in 2005.
The Glendronach Distillery
Forgue By Huntly
Aberdeenshire
AB5 4DB
tel - +44(0)1466 730 202
web - www.glendronachdistillery.com
Tours through Glendronach Distillery are available all week all year round. Charges apply. Connoisseurs tour available on request (Monday + Wednesday only)
How to pronouce Glendronach? glen-dron-ack
Glendronach's story
Glendronach is a distillery located at the far eastern point of the Speyside region. It is located in the village of Forgue, close to the town in Huntly, in the county of Aberdeenshire. The whisky produced at The production capacity of the distillery is 1.3 million litres per annum and the current owners are the Benriach Distillery Company, who took control in 2008. They have resurrected the fortunes of the ailing distillery by refurbishing, increasing production, expanding the core range of single malts and their exposure to a wider audience. Glendronach whisky has traditionally been held in high regard by blending companies and is currently a major constituent in the popular Teacher’s and Ballantine’s blends.
Glendronach's history
Glendronach was founded in 1826 by a business consortium headed by James Allardice. Allardice was an innovator and made Glendronach one of the first distilleries to use sherry casks to mature their whisky. This created a new flavour profile within the industry and therefore made it very desirable for drinkers and blending companies alike. The majority of the distillery was gutted by a serious fire in 1837, resulting in a full refurbishment. In 1852, Walter Scott, the former owner of Teaninich distillery in the northern Highlands, took control of Glendronach. He built the distillery up to the level so that by the mid 1860s, Glendronach was paying the largest amount of duty of any distillery in Scotland.
Scott died in 1887 and the license was taken over by Somerville & Company from Leith. They remained in control until 1920 when Charles Grant, the son of Glenfiddich founder William Grant, bought the distillery. The large blending company William Teacher & Sons took control in 1960 so as to secure a constant supply of Glendronach whisky for their range of blends. Allied Breweries (which later became Allied Domecq) took over William Teacher & Sons in the mid 1970s and operated the distillery until they decided to mothball it in 1996. It was not re-opened until 2002 and in 2005 Glendronach became part of Chivas Brothers, a division of drinks giant Pernod Ricard. The current owners, Benriach Distillery Company, took control in 2008.
Glendronach's whiskies