Glen Ord Distillery

Glen Ord was founded in 1838 by Robert Johnstone and Donald MacLennan, operating as the Ord Distillery Company on land associated with the Mackenzie clan. The original founders went bankrupt in 1847 and the distillery passed to Alexander McLennan and Thomas McGregor. Ownership continued to change through the late 19th and early 20th centuries: Alexander MacKenzie took over in 1877; James Watson & Son of Dundee acquired it in 1896; Thomas Dewars & Sons purchased it in 1923; and it came under the Scottish Malt Distillers umbrella in 1930 as a subsidiary of the Distillers Company Limited.

The floor maltings at Glen Ord were closed in 1961 and replaced with Saladin boxes, with a mechanical floor malting facility added in 1968. The distillery remained within the Distillers Company and ultimately passed to United Distillers Ltd in 1985 and then to Diageo when that company was formed in 1997 through the merger of Guinness plc and Grand Metropolitan.

In 2006 Diageo launched The Singleton brand, positioning Glen Ord's output for Southeast Asian consumers under the name The Singleton of Glen Ord. The distillery underwent significant expansion and in 2021 a new visitor centre was opened, transforming part of the traditional dunnage complex into a premium public attraction. In 2001 Glen Ord became the first UK distillery to adopt the Biobed Modular Plant wastewater treatment system.

Water comes from Loch nam Bonnach and Loch nan Eun, feeding the White Burn that supplies the distillery. Glen Ord operates 7 wash stills (17,000 L each) and 7 spirit stills (16,000 L each), giving an annual capacity of 12 million litres — making it one of Diageo's most significant volume distilleries. Maturation uses a 50/50 split between American white oak ex-bourbon casks and Oloroso sherry casks, contributing the sweet fruity richness and dried fruit complexity characteristic of the Singleton range.

Glen Ord produces a rich, rounded Highland malt. The combination of long fermentation, slow distillation, and the 50/50 bourbon and sherry cask maturation policy contributes a sweet, fruity character with notes of caramel, ripe orchard fruit, vanilla, and dried fruit. The house style is approachable and well-balanced — designed to appeal to the Southeast Asian palate, where sweetness and richness are prized. The Singleton 12, 15, and 18 Year Old expressions each step up in depth and complexity while maintaining the accessible, food-friendly character.

Tours are available at the visitor centre, which opened in 2021. The centre incorporates parts of the historic dunnage warehouse complex. A physical shop is on site. Address: Muir of Ord, Ross-shire IV6 7UJ.