Glen Grant Distillery: History, Owner, Range and Visitor Guide
Updated: 2 days ago
Glen Grant in Rothes is one of Speyside's best known distilleries, home to tall slender stills, a Victorian garden and a founding family that shaped Scottish whisky and rail. It is also the biggest selling single malt Scotch in Italy. This guide covers its history, owners, people and range.
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Glen Grant at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified information |
|---|---|
Location | Rothes, Speyside |
Established | 1840, John and James Grant |
Owner | Campari Group |
Region | Speyside, Scotland |
Principal single malt range | Glen Grant 10 Year Old; Glen Grant 12 Year Old; Glen Grant 15 Year Old Batch Strength; Glen Grant 18 Year Old |
Visiting | Tours and Garden of Splendours visits are available; check current booking details |
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Glen Grant history, people and production
The history of Glen Grant
1840: the Grant brothers
Brothers John and James Grant founded the distillery in 1840. Wikipedia describes them as former illicit distillers who took out a licence. The official site says their interest in industrial progress also led them to the northern railway. James Grant was founder of the Morayshire Railway Company, which ran trains from Lossiemouth to Elgin, and in 1851 a locomotive was named Glen Grant in his honour. Electric lighting was introduced at the distillery in the 1860s according to the official timeline.
1872: James The Major Grant
James Grant, known as The Major, was born in 1847 and took over in 1872. The distillery says he doubled its size and introduced tall slender pot stills with water cooled purifiers, which shaped the house character. The distillery says it became one of the first in Scotland to generate its own electricity under him. Wikipedia adds that he was the first man in the Highlands to own a car. In 1886 he established the Victorian garden to display plants and fruits gathered on his travels, from southern Africa to the Himalayas. The Himalayan Blue Poppy he collected still grows there and appears on the bottle.
The twentieth century
The Major died in 1931, the last to hold the title Glengrant, leaving three daughters. His grandson Douglas Mackessack succeeded him. In 1972 the Glenlivet and Glen Grant Distilleries merged with Hill, Thomson and Co and Longmorn Distilleries to form The Glenlivet Distillers Ltd, with Courage and Suntory as outside shareholders. Later the distillery was under Chivas Brothers. King Charles, then His Royal Highness, opened a new bottling hall in 2013, according to the distillery.
Campari
Campari Group bought Glen Grant when Allied Domecq was acquired by Pernod Ricard. Wikipedia gives December 2005 in its introduction and 2006 in its history section, so the exact date is not settled between those two lines. It was Campari's only whisky at the time.
Owners over time
1840 to 1872: John and James Grant
1872 to 1931: James The Major Grant
1931 onwards: the Grant and Mackessack family line, including Douglas Mackessack
1972: The Glenlivet Distillers Ltd
Later: Chivas Brothers
2005 or 2006 onwards: Campari Group
The people behind Glen Grant
James The Major Grant: collector, innovator and creator of the garden
Dennis Malcolm: born on the distillery grounds in 1946, started as a cooper apprentice in 1961, became Master Distiller in 2006 and marked 60 years in the industry in 2021
Greig Stables: appointed Master Distiller in 2024
The Garden of Splendours
The garden covers 22 acres and includes the original dram pavilion built by The Major. Visitors can walk orchards, meadows and gorges. The distillery says it changes with the seasons.
Glen Grant whisky expressions compared
These distillery expressions have been documented in producer catalogues or specialist sources. Limited editions, vintages and market strengths are not interchangeable. Whisky Clan has not independently tasted or rated every bottle in this table.
Named whisky expression | Age | Listed ABV | Maturation / release |
|---|---|---|---|
Glen Grant 10 Year Old | 10 years | 40% | Traditional oak cask maturation |
Glen Grant 12 Year Old | 12 years | 43% | Bourbon oak cask maturation |
Glen Grant 15 Year Old Batch Strength | 15 years | 50% | Selected first-fill bourbon casks |
Glen Grant 18 Year Old | 18 years | 43% | American oak cask maturation |
Glen Grant 21 Year Old | 21 years | 46% | Selected oak casks for aged single malt |
Glen Grant featured whisky bottle
An example of a named distillery bottling. Label and packaging can change between releases and markets.
How does Glen Grant whisky taste?
The distillery's reported character is influenced by its stills, fermentation, oak and age. Exact nose, palate and finish notes depend on the named bottle, age and cask; consult the official source for the release before treating a style description as an individual tasting review.
Limited bottles, awards and collector information
Limited editions, festival bottlings and older single casks can appear under the same distillery name. The bottle table distinguishes established expressions from historic or less widely available releases. Award claims should always be tied to a named expression, competition and year; none are implied for the entire range here.
Where to buy Glen Grant whisky
Availability, pricing, bottle formats and distribution vary between the UK, US, Canada, Australia and Europe. The official catalogue linked below is the best starting point for identifying a whisky, but no live retailer stock is guaranteed.
Visiting Glen Grant Distillery
Tours and Garden of Splendours visits are available; check current booking details.
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More distilleries in Speyside Scotland
Discover other producers in this whisky region.
Frequently asked questions about Glen Grant
Where is Glen Grant?
In Rothes, Speyside, Scotland.
Who founded Glen Grant?
Brothers John and James Grant in 1840.
Who owns Glen Grant?
Campari Group.
Who was The Major?
James Grant, born 1847, who took over in 1872 and built the garden in 1886.
Who is the Master Distiller?
Greig Stables, since 2024. Dennis Malcolm held the role from 2006.
Sources and image credits
About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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