Glengoyne distillery

Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

It runs a combination of long (and very long) fermentations, while distillation in its three stills (one wash, two spirit) is extremely slow. All of the stills have boil bulbs, which increases the amount of copper availability, while the gentle heating of the wash and spirit also helps to maximise the amount of time the alcohol vapour can play with the copper. This maximising of reflux produces a gentle, sweet, and fruity new make.

There is however sufficient weight in the spirit to be able to balance with maturation in ex-Sherry butts – a signature of Edrington’s distilleries – which has been retained by Ian MacLeod. 

Map
  • Region
    Highland
  • Production type
    Single malt
  • Distillery Status
    Working

Glengoyne History

A distillery has stood on this site since 1833, when the Edmonstone family (the main landowner of the area) began production, passing control to the MacLelland family in the 1850s who, in turn, sold it to the Glasgow-based blender Lang Bros in 1876. It was they who changed the distillery’s original name, Burnfoot, to Glen Guin which was anglicised to Glengoyne in 1905.

It played a vital role within Lang Brothers' blends [the best known being Supreme] and those of Robertson & Baxter (now Edrington). The latter firm bought Lang Brothers. in 1965.

Single malt bottlings began in the early 1990s, when Glengoyne was sold as 'the unpeated malt', while much was also made of the fact that, geographically, the distillery is in the Highlands while its warehouses, directly across the road, are in the Lowlands.

Edrington considered it surplus to its requirements in 2003, selling it to Ian MacLeod for £7.2m. Its new owner has subsequently (and successfully) focused on developing the brand as a single malt and the distillery as a multifunctional tourist destination. It now gets in excess of 50,000 visitors a year.

Timeline

  • 1833 The Edmonstone family acquires a license to distil
  • 1851 The distillery, named Burnfoot, is sold to John MacLelland
  • 1876 Burnfoot is acquired by Lang Bros, which changed the name to Glen Guin
  • 1905 The distillery is officially known as Glengoyne
  • 1965 Lang Bros becomes part of the Robertson & Baxter Group (later Edrington)
  • 1966 The distillery is rebuilt with an additional still, bringing it to a total of three (one wash; two spirit)
  • 2003 Ian Macleod buys Glengoyne and the Langs brand from Edrington for £7.2m
  • 2012 Glengoyne 15 and 18-year-olds are released alongside a no-age-statement cask strength expression

Glengoyne Facts

  • Capacity (mlpa) i
    1.1
  • Condenser Type i
    Shell and tube
  • Fermentation Time i
    Up to 56hrs
  • Filling Strength i
    First-fill sherry and bourbon 63.5%, others 69.8%
  • Grist Weight (t) i
    3.72
  • Heat Source i
    Stainless steel pans fed from gas boiler
  • Malt Specification i
    0ppm
  • Malt Supplier i
    Simpson's
  • Mash Tun Type i
    Traditional
  • New-make Phenol Level i
    0ppm
  • New-make Strength i
    71%
  • Single Malt Percentage i
    30%
  • Spirit Still Charge (l) i
    3,800
  • Spirit Still Shape i
    Ball with Lyne arm descending
  • Spirit Still Size (l) i
    5,000
  • Stills i
    3
  • Warehousing i
    Dunnage and pallet
  • Wash Still Charge (l) i
    12,666
  • Wash Still Shape i
    Ball with Lyne arm descending
  • Wash Still Size (l) i
    16,620
  • Washback Size (l) i
    19,000
  • Washback Type i
    Wood
  • Washbacks i
    6
  • Water Source i
    Loch Carron for process, Blairgar Burn for cooling
  • Wort Clarity i
    Clear
  • Yeast Type i
    Kerry M and MX

Owners

Current owner

Previous owners

  • Edrington 1999 - 2003
  • Robertson & Baxter Group 1965 - 1999
  • Lang Brothers 1876 - 1965
  • Archibald MacLelland 1872 - 1876
  • John MacLelland 1851 - 1872
  • George Connell 1833 - 1851

Contact

Address
Glengoyne Distillery
Dumgoyne
Stirlingshire
G63 9LB
United Kingdom
Phone
+44 1360 550254
Visitor Opening Hours
Monday
10am to 4.30pm (Dec-Feb), 5pm (Mar-Nov)
Tuesday
10am to 4.30pm (Dec-Feb), 5pm (Mar-Nov)
Wednesday
10am to 4.30pm (Dec-Feb), 5pm (Mar-Nov)
Thursday
10am to 4.30pm (Dec-Feb), 5pm (Mar-Nov)
Friday
10am to 4.30pm (Dec-Feb), 5pm (Mar-Nov)
Saturday
10am to 4.30pm (Dec-Feb), 5pm (Mar-Nov)
Sunday
10am to 4.30pm (Dec-Feb), 5pm (Mar-Nov)

Map

See also

  • Tamdhu Tamdhu Tamdhu Distillery & brand

    Tamdhu

    Speyside filler and single malt brand.

  • Rosebank Rosebank Rosebank Distillery & brand

    Rosebank

    This Lowland malt with its gentle, fruity palate, commands a dedicated following.

  • Smokehead Smokehead Smokehead Brand

    Smokehead

    A single Islay malt that pushes all the right buttons for aspiring peat freaks.

  • Glen Tress Glen Tress Glen Tress Brand

    Glen Tress

    A ‘pure malt’ established by Ian Macleod & Co during the 1980s.

Scroll To Top