Glen Moray

Glen MoraySingle Malt Scotch Whisky

The distillery was closed for most of the period 1910-1923, when it re-opened under the control of Macdonald & Muir, owners of Glenmorangie, who had purchased it three years previously.

Macdonald & Muir remained in control of Glen Moray for over eighty years until 2004, when the group (now known as Glenmorangie plc and including the recently-purchased Ardbeg) was bought by the international luxury group Louis Vuitton - Moet Hennessy (LVMH). At this point, Glen Moray's future looked uncertain, as the distillery had always been a workhorse for Glenmorangie's blended products and cheap supermarket own label brands.

This clearly did not fit with the philosophy of the new owners, and few were surprised when in late 2008 it was announced that Glen Moray had been sold to the French company La Martiniquaise. It seems likely that the bulk of Glen Moray's output will now end up in the new owner's flagship Label 5 blended whisky, most prevalent in the Far East.

From the website

Glen Moray Distillery nestles on the banks of the River Lossie in the city of Elgin, the capital of Speyside, a region synonymous with malt whisky. Glen Moray Single Malt Whisky has been distilled here since 1897 by a small dedicated team of craftsmen. In over a century of distilling at Glen Moray, much has changed, however the ingredients, processes and skills of those responsible for producing Glen Moray remain constant.

Glen Moray is a small authentic working distillery without the tourist frills, just bags of atmosphere and real people going about their business – making whisky. Here you have the opportunity to experience the reality of malt whisky distilling. The delight of Glen Moray is that your tour guide could be one of the distillery craftsmen themselves. It could be the stillman or the mashman who welcomes you and shows you round, or even the distillery manager himself – Graham Coull.

History

You will find Glen Moray distillery nestling on the banks of the river Lossie in the Western quarter of the ancient city, and royal burgh of Elgin. Elgin itself is an historic city, but not the least of its claims to fame is the fact that it is the capital of Speyside – a beautiful region in the north of Scotland synonymous throughout the world with superlative malt whisky.

The original road into Elgin passes through the distillery grounds under the shadow of Gallow Hill, where executions were carried out until the end of the 17th century. This was an important road in times gone by and some of Scotland's legendary historical figures including St Columba, King Duncan and Macbeth – after the Battle of Torfness – and Bonnie Prince Charlie are said to have passed along it. Today the Glen Moray distillery enjoys a much more peaceful existence, concentrating on the serious business of producing the classic Speyside single malt whisky.

When Beer Gave Way To Whisky

Glen Moray has an authentic work-a-day atmosphere, which has continued largely unchanged down through the generations since 1831, except that originally Glen Moray was built as a brewery. It was converted to a distillery in 1897 and for over a hundred years has been producing its distinctive smooth Speyside malt.

Built in the classic layout of a Scottish farm steading, the distillery features an attractive courtyard, which is surrounded by traditional low ceiling warehouses. But it's not the aesthetics that make the greatest impression on you at Glen Moray. It's the people. The distillery craftsmen.

Something A Bit More Special

Glen Moray is a quality malt whisky from the heart of Speyside. We use ex-bourbon barrels sourced from North America to mature Glen Moray and these produce a whisky with rich and spicy characteristics. These casks deliver a superior product that has a smooth and well-rounded taste.