Glen Ord distillery
In the north east of the Scottish Highlands you will find the interesting Glen Ord Distillery, the oldest of the Scottish Singleton distilleries. It is located outside of Inverness in the picturesque town of Muir of Ord. The whisky from this distillery is a rarity, because the bottlings produced today are difficult to obtain. You can book a distillery tour at the Glen Ord visitor center - and there’s a museum near the distillery.
Glen Ord factsheet
| Name | Pronounced | AKA | Region | Country of Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glen Ord | Highlands | Scotland | ||
| Status | Active | Whisky Type | Website | Tours Available |
| Active | 1838 - Present | Malt | Glen Ord | Not Available |
| Manager | Distiller | Blender | Owned by | Parent Group |
| Keith Law | Diageo |
Glen Ord Timeline:
1838: Founded by the Ord Distillery Co. and licensed to Mr Maclennan. It is built on the site of an illicit still at Muir of Ord in Ross-shire
1847: Bankrupt, when continued under that style until 1923
1860-67: Thomas McGregor & Alexander McLennan proprietors
1870: Alexander McLennan bankrupt
....: Passed to Alexander McLennan’s widow who married Alexander McKezie of Beauly
1878-87: Proprietors Alexander McLennan’s widow who married Alexander McKezie of Beauly, when purchased by James Watson & Co., blenders of Dundee
1896: Incorporated as a limited company
1923: Failed, and distillery sold to John Dewar & Sons Ltd., Perth (1924 mentioned as well)
1925: Incorporated in the Distillers Company Ltd. (DCL)
1930: Transferred to Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd. (SMD)
1961: Floor maltings converted to Saladin maltings and still operating
1966: Rebuilt, when extended from two to six stills
1968: Large drum-maltings built on adjacent site. Dark-grains plant. Licensed to Peter Dawson Ltd., Glasgow
1988: Visitor centre opened
1992: Licensed to John Dewar & Sons Ltd.
1993: The first year Glen Ord Whisky becomes available outside the local market
1999: Owned by United Distillers & Vintners Ltd. (UDV)
2004: Owned by Diageo plc
Can I tour Glen Ord?
Yes Glen Ord distillery is tourable. On Trip Advisor the distillery has been rated as excellent by 577 of 829 tours to date. This gives Glen Ord an overall rating of 4.5
Latest reviews
Highly Recommend
by Lauren S
We came and did the tour as my partner is a big whisky fan. With alot of other distilleries not offering tours due to covid, I booked on a whim and I am so glad I did. Kyle our guide was interesting, informative and answered any questions posed. It consisted of a 35 minute tour followed by a tasting. They offered a 'drivers pack' for the tasting so I still got the opportunity to taste. We also got a small gift (glass) and a discount in the shop. It was a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone. You don't need to be a staunch whisky fan to enjoy the experience.
Great Fun for All the Family
by Vic C
Amazing tour, great guide. Knowledgable staff and a fun experience, great to see how it all works. Tasting excellent.
Great Visitor Experience
by 709913
This is an excellent visitor experience. The atmosphere and staff are relaxed throughout and there's no rush. Kyle was our tour guide and he was superb. For the first time, he had made me understand the process of making whisky. He is engaging, friendly and genuinely has a passion for whisky. He has a warm personality and is a great asset to Glen Ord.
| Rating | Reviews |
|---|---|
| Excellent | 577 |
| Very good | 206 |
| Average | 34 |
| Poor | 8 |
| Terrible | 4 |
Previous
Next