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Glen
Ord Whisky Distillery
A visit to Glen Ord, on the edge of the Black Isle in
the Highlands west of Inverness, is a delight to both the
eye and the palate. Watch our distillers at work creating
a magicial malt whisky which is sweet, malty and dry on
the palate.
2013/2014 Opening Times
January - February
Monday - Friday: 11am - 4pm
March
Monday – Saturday 11am – 4pm
Easter Weekend
Friday, Saturday, Monday 10am - 5pm
Easter Sunday 12noon - 4pm
April - October
Monday - Saturday: 10am - 5pm
Also June to August
Monday to Saturday 9am – 6pm
Sunday 12noon - 5pm
November - December
Monday - Friday: 11am - 4pm
Open between Christmas & New Year – please call
01463 872004 for details.
Last Tour:
One hour before closing
For health & safety reasons, children under 8 years
old are not permitted in the production areas of the distillery.
Due to maintenance requirements it's not always possible
to tour the distillery. Please call and check in advance
to avoid disappointment.
Contact Us
Glen Ord Distillery,
Muir of Ord, Ross-shire
Tel: +44 (0) 1463 872004
Fax: +44 (0) 1463 872008
Email: Glen
Ord Distillery
Due to maintenance requirements it's not always possible
to tour the distillery. Please call and check in advance
to avoid disappointment.
The History of Glen Ord
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 employed
18 people.
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 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.
In 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.
1994 Was indeed a pivotal year for Glen
Ord whose roots are deeply entwined with Scottish history
and lore. Known outside Scotland by only Whisky aficionados,
Glen Ord’s reputation begins to flourish. In this
year Glen Ord 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky brings home
three international awards including the World’s most
prestigious spirit award the IWSC Gold Medal, the overall
malt whisky category trophy for, “Best Single Malt
up to 15 years.” and the title of Malt of the Year
1994-1995.
1997 Guinness and Grand Metropolitan merge
to form DIAGEO, with head offices in London.
1998 Glen Ord is recognized and available
throughout the world and sought out by those who appreciate
unique characteristics of this unique "Whisky from
the Black Isle."
2012 Plans are announed to convert the
old Floor and Saladin Box malting buildings so we can double
production. A new mashtun, 10 washbacks and 6 copper stills
will be installed with completion in summer 2014 bringing
our capacity up to 10 million litres a year.
Courtesy of Glen Ord |
The
Glen Ord Distillery was founded in 1838. Its soil, the barley,
the sea air and the marvelously soft water that imparts
Glen Ord Single Malt Whisky with a “Flavoursome roundness,”
which has earned this unique spirit the International Wine
and Spirits Competition '94 & '95 Gold Medal for the
world’s best single malt and the '96 & '97 Monde
Selection Awards. It is known as the “Richer Malt”
from the Black Isle in the Northern Highlands. 
