Whisky for Everyone

Tours through Glengoyne Distillery are available Monday to Saturday. A range of tours available. Charges vary according to type of tour.

How to pronouce Glengoyne? glen-goy-n

Glengoyne's story
Glengoyne is a distillery in the southern Highlands. It is around 15 miles to the north of Glasgow and is located in the village of Dumgoyne, close to the famous Loch Lomond. Glengoyne is one of Scotland's most traditional distilleries and is currently owned by Ian Macleod Distillers. It has an annual whisky production capacity of 1.1 million litres. They also produce a small range of rum, gin and vodka there. The whisky produced at Glengoyne is popular with blending companies and it is a major contributor to the famous Cutty Sark range of blends. It remains one of the few distilleries to use a traditional strain of barley called ‘Golden Promise’, whish is considered the best for whisky making but one that is low yielding therefore it has fallen out of favour.

Glengoyne lies on the 'Highland line' (this is an imaginary line that divides the Highland whisky production region from the Lowland region). This line follows the course of a main road and actually runs through the facilities. The distillery lies on the Highland side to the north of the line, with the warehouses being on the Lowland side. Most people class it as a Highland malt, although it was marketed as a Lowland until the 1970s. It depends on your view as to whether the distillation or maturation influences whisky the most.

Glengoyne's history
Glengoyne was founded in 1833 by the Edmonstone family. Its original name was Burnfoot distillery. A local businessman called John MacLelland then took control in 1851 before handing the reigns to his son, Archibald, in 1867. Burnfoot remained in his control until 1876 when a company called Lang Brothers bought the distillery and renamed it as Glenguin. In 1905, the name is changed to current Glengoyne, apparently after Glenguin was spelt incorrectly on a batch of labeling. Lang Brothers decided to keep the name as they felt it was easier to read and pronounce. Robertson & Baxter became the new owners of Glengoyne in 1965, after taking over Lang Brothers, and fully refurbished and expanded the distillery. Robertson & Baxter later changed their name and became the Edrington Group. Edrington decided to sell Glengoyne to Ian Macleod Distillers, an independent family owned spirits company, in 2003.

Glengoyne's whiskies