Glen Garioch Distillery
Glen Garioch (pronounced "Glen Geery" in the local Doric dialect) is one of Scotland's oldest working distilleries, founded in 1797 in the village of Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire. The distillery sits in the fertile Vale of the Garioch — long known as the Granary of Aberdeenshire — where abundant local barley made distilling a natural industry. Small-batch and non-chill-filtered, Glen Garioch is now owned by Suntory Global Spirits, a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings of Osaka, Japan, and operates with an annual capacity of approximately 1,000,000 litres.
Its size and setting give it an intimate, craft character that stands apart from the industrial giants of Speyside. Despite multiple changes in ownership over its long life, the distillery has retained a commitment to traditional production methods and consistently produces a distinctive, wholesome style of eastern Highland malt that rewards attention.
Tours
Available
On-site Shop
Open
Online Shop
Available
History
Glen Garioch was founded in 1797 by John and Alexander Manson, originally alongside a brewery and tannery on the same site, reflecting the integrated rural economy of Aberdeenshire at the time. In the early period the distillery changed hands repeatedly as it weathered the turbulent economics of the Scottish whisky trade.
A prolonged water shortage in 1968 forced a suspension of production. The issue was eventually resolved in 1972 with the discovery of the Silent Spring of Coutens Farm, which has served as the distillery's process water source ever since. A brief closure followed in 1983, and the distillery was mothballed again from 1995 to 1997 before being revived.
Morrison Bowmore Distillers — already a subsidiary of Suntory — took ownership in 1990, bringing the Glen Garioch distillery into the Japanese group's portfolio alongside Bowmore and Auchentoshan. Following Suntory's merger with Beam Inc. in 2014, the parent company became Beam Suntory, which was subsequently rebranded as Suntory Global Spirits. Under this ownership, Glen Garioch has been marketed internationally as a premium small-batch Highland malt, with the Founder's Reserve expression introduced to lead the range.
The current distillery operates with 2 wash stills (20,000 L and 10,000 L) and 2 spirit stills (11,000 L each), producing non-chill-filtered whisky that retains its natural character in the glass.
Production
Water for production comes from the Silent Spring of Coutens Farm, discovered in 1972. The distillery uses 2 wash stills and 2 spirit stills, giving an annual production capacity of approximately 1,000,000 litres of spirit. All core expressions are bottled without chill filtration and at 48% ABV, preserving the natural oils and character of the spirit. Maturation draws on a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks.
Tasting Character
Glen Garioch's house style is malty and honeyed, with a warm, creamy texture that comes partly from its non-chill-filtered production. The Founder's Reserve (48% ABV, NAS) blends bourbon and sherry cask maturation to produce notes of warm vanilla, fresh green apple, grapefruit, and butter cream, underpinned by subtle spice. The 12 Year Old (48% ABV) adds greater depth and integration. The Virgin Oak expression takes the spirit in a different direction, emphasising fresh wood spice and vanilla from maturation in new American oak casks.
What They Produce
Notable Bottlings
- Glen Garioch Founder's Reserve£35.69 — NAS, 48% ABV; honeyed and creamy, bourbon and sherry cask blend; the distillery's flagship
- Glen Garioch 12 Year Old£44.25 — 48% ABV; richer and more complex, with toffee and dried fruit alongside the malty core
- Glen Garioch Virgin Oak£35.69 — NAS; fresh American oak spice and vanilla, bold and different from the main range
- Glen Garioch Renaissance Chapter 1£35.69 — 4 — Limited series of sherry-matured expressions released 2012–2015
- Glen Garioch Vintage expressions (1978£950.00 — 1999) — Rare single-cask and vintage bottlings covering two decades of production
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Visiting
Glen Garioch welcomes visitors at its distillery in Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire. Tours are available with online booking via glengarioch.com. The distillery has both a physical shop and an online shop. Contact: glen.garioch@beamsuntory.com.
Official Website
