Aberlour
Part of Chivas Brothers' portfolio, Aberlour is best known for its cult expression, A'Bunadh.
Glenburgie
Distillery & brand
Fragrant, sweet, slightly grassy and with a lick of oiliness, Glenburgie’s make is pretty much entirely ring-fenced by blender Sandy Hyslop for the Ballantine’s blend.
Glenburgie distillery
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Ballantine’s status as the second largest seller in the world accounts for the fact that Glenburgie’s sightings as a single malt are as infrequent as those of the Loch Ness monster. Allied only bottled it once and Chivas Bros. has only ever included it in its limited edition Cask Strength series (which are only available through the firms’ distillery visitors' centres). It very occasionally pops up as an independent bottling, as do some of the last remaining stocks of Glencraig. It is not commonly seen other than as a bottling from Gordon & MacPhail. However, in July 2017 Glenburgie was released as a 15-year-old single malt (alongside expressions from Glentauchers and Miltonduff) under the Ballantine’s brand.
Glenburgie History
Although its little-known as a single malt, Glenburgie’s history stretches back to 1829 when it was built on the flatlands near Forres by William Paul. After the (fairly common) multiple changes in ownership it became part of the estate of blenders James & George Stodart, owner of the Old Smuggler blend, although they never actually made whisky on the site.
Stodart was bought out by Hiram Walker in 1936, at the same time the Canadian firm bought Miltonduff. Ever since then Glenburgie has been closely associated with the Ballantine’s blend.
Like Miltonduff, it was home to a pair of ‘Lomond’ stills from 1958 to 1981, which produced a malt known as Glencraig.
In 2004, the old distillery was demolished and a new, larger, open plan one was constructed. A third pair of stills was added at this point. It has been part of Chivas Brothers since 2005.
Timeline
- 1829 Founded as Kilnflat Distillery by William Paul
- 1871 Paul sublets the distillery to Charles Hay, who changes the name to Glenburgie
- 1880 Fraser & Grant buy the distillery
- 1882 Alexander Fraser & Co take over
- 1925 Alexander Fraser & Co go into liquidation and the distillery closes two years later
- 1930 The distillery is acquired by Hiram Walker-Gooderham & Worts, which licenses control to subsidiary J&G Stodart
- 1936 Stodart is bought out by Hiram Walker and complete ownership of Glenburgie is transferred across
- 1958 Two Lomond stills are installed that produce a new single malt, Glencraig
- 1981 The Lomond stills are removed and replaced with traditional stills
- 1987 Allied Lyons buys Hiram Walker
- 2004 The original distillery is demolished, and a new £4.3m replacement is constructed with two additional stills
- 2005 Glenburgie joins the Chivas Brothers portfolio
- 2006 An additional two stills are installed, bringing Glenburgie up to six in total
- 2017 Glenburgie 15-year-old single malt is released under the Ballantine's brand
Glenburgie Facts
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- Capacity (mlpa) i
- 4.2
-
- Condenser Type i
- Shell and tube
-
- Fermentation Time i
- 54-100hrs
-
- Grist Weight (t) i
- 7.5
-
- Heat Source i
- Gas, steam via external heat exchanger & thermocompression system
-
- Malt Specification i
- Unpeated
-
- Malt Supplier i
- Simpsons, Bairds
-
- Mash Tun Material i
- Stainless Steel
-
- Mash Tun Type i
- Lauter
-
- New-make Strength i
- 69%
-
- Spirit Still Charge (l) i
- 13,500
-
- Spirit Still Shape i
- Onion
-
- Spirit Still Size (l) i
- 18,200
-
- Stills i
- 3 spirit, 3 wash
-
- Wash Still Charge (l) i
- 11,500
-
- Wash Still Shape i
- Onion
-
- Washback Charge (l) i
- 34,500
-
- Washback Type i
- Stainless steel
-
- Washbacks i
- 12
-
- Water Source i
- Local Springs
-
- Wort Clarity i
- Unmeasured
-
- Yeast Type i
- Kerry liquid
Owners
Parent company
- Pernod Ricard 2005 - present
Current owner
Previous owners
- Allied Domecq 1994 - 2005
- Allied Lyons 1987 - 1994
- Hiram Walker & Sons 1936 - 1987
- J&G Stodart 1930 - 1936
- Donald Mustard 1925 - 1930
- Alexander Fraser & Co 1882 - 1925
- Fraser & Grant 1880 - 1882
- Charles Hay 1871 - 1880
- William Paul 1829 - 1871
Contact
- Address
-
Glenburgie Distillery
Forres
Moray
IV36 2QY
United Kingdom - Phone
- +44 1343 554120
- Visitor Opening Hours
- Not open to the public
Map
See also
-
Distillery & brand