Glenglassaugh Distillery: History, Owner and Visitor Guide
Updated: 22 hours ago
Glenglassaugh is a coastal Highland distillery at Sandend, near Portsoy on the Moray Firth in Aberdeenshire. It was built in the 1870s, silent for much of the twentieth century, restarted in 2008 and bought by Brown-Forman in 2016. Its single malt is sold as a coastal Highland whisky.
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Glenglassaugh at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Distillery / brand | Glenglassaugh |
Whisky region | Highland, Scotland |
Ownership (October 2026) | Brown-Forman |
History | Founding date given as 1874 or 1875; distilling resumed in 2008. |
Expressions to explore | Glenglassaugh 12 Year Old and Glenglassaugh Sandend |
Visiting / editorial note | Visits are by private appointment only; no walk-ins (producer guidance, October 2026). |
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Glenglassaugh at a glance
Location: Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, AB45 2SQ
Region: Highland (Moray coast)
Founded: 1874 (Whiskypedia) or 1875 (The Single Cask), by James Moir
Owner: Brown-Forman, since 2016 (via The BenRiach Distillery Company)
Stills: two, one wash and one spirit
Capacity: around 1 million litres of pure alcohol a year
Water: the Glassaugh Spring
Status: working, with a production pause announced in January 2025 (The Single Cask)
Visits: by private appointment (The Single Cask)
The story of Glenglassaugh
James Moir built the distillery in the mid 1870s. The two sources date it to 1874 and 1875, so both are stated. In 1892 it became part of Highland Distillers, and it closed in 1907. It stayed silent for most of the next five decades, with a brief reopening in the 1930s noted by The Single Cask, and was rebuilt in 1960.
It was mothballed again in 1986 when Highland Distillers cut capacity. The group later became part of Edrington. In 2008 the Scaent Group bought it for around 5 million pounds and restarted production, with the first liquid released in 2009. The Single Cask gives the reopening as 24 November 2008, with the then First Minister Alex Salmond attending, and names Stuart Nickerson as the manager who oversaw the revival.
The new owners sold individual casks directly to private buyers early on, which still shapes who holds post-2008 stock. A visitor centre opened in 2012 alongside a young expression called Revival. In 2013 the distillery was bought by The BenRiach Distillery Company, which launched Evolution, and a peated malt called Torfa followed in 2014. Brown-Forman bought the whole group in 2016.
In January 2025 Brown-Forman announced a shared production schedule with BenRiach. The company described it as periods of production alongside occasional silent seasons, and not a closure. The Single Cask could not confirm the current position, so check the latest news before relying on any production status.
How Glenglassaugh is made
Mashing: a traditional open rake and plough mash tun, about 5 tonnes of grist
Malt: mostly unpeated, with peated runs at certain times of the year (above 30ppm)
Fermentation: six washbacks, four wooden and two stainless steel added in a 1966 refurbishment, minimum 60 hours
Distillation: one wash still (17,200 litres) and one spirit still (12,700 litres), both boil ball shaped
New make: around 69% ABV, filled at 63.5%
The Glenglassaugh range
The core range was relaunched in June 2023 (The Single Cask). The official site now lists:
Glenglassaugh 12 Years Old, matured in bourbon, sherry and red wine casks
Glenglassaugh Sandend, matured in bourbon, sherry and manzanilla casks
Glenglassaugh Portsoy, a peated single malt matured in sherry, bourbon and port casks
Glenglassaugh 15 Years Old, with Pedro Ximenez sherry and Spanish wine cask maturation
The distillery states that its range is bottled between 45% and 50.5% ABV.
Glenglassaugh and independent bottlers
Pre-1986 stock from the Highland Distillers era has circulated through Duncan Taylor, Signatory and others and is now scarce. Post-2008 stock is often held by private owners and brokers, and The Single Cask does not currently hold a Glenglassaugh cask.
Visiting Glenglassaugh
Whiskypedia lists weekday opening and weekends in May to September. The Single Cask says visits are now by private appointment only, through glenglassaughexperience@b-f.com. The more recent source is likely to be the better guide, so contact the distillery before travelling.
Sources
Cover image: Wikimedia Commons.
Glenglassaugh bottle range and expression comparison
Bottle / expression | Age | ABV | Cask maturation / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Glenglassaugh 12 Year Old | 12 years | Check label | Producer and release specifications may change; consult official sources. |
Glenglassaugh Sandend | NAS / varies | Check label | Producer and release specifications may change; consult official sources. |
Glenglassaugh Portsoy | NAS / varies | Check label | Producer and release specifications may change; consult official sources. |
Visits are by private appointment only; no walk-ins (producer guidance, October 2026).
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Frequently asked questions about Glenglassaugh
Who owns Glenglassaugh?
Brown-Forman, since 2016. It also owns BenRiach and GlenDronach.
Is Glenglassaugh a Speyside whisky?
It is classed as Highland, although it is only a few miles from the Speyside boundary.
Why was Glenglassaugh closed for so long?
It closed in 1907, reopened in 1960 and was mothballed again in 1986 as the industry cut capacity. It was bought and restarted in 2008.
Is Glenglassaugh peated?
Mostly unpeated, with peated spirit made at set times of the year and sold as Portsoy.
Can you visit Glenglassaugh?
By appointment, according to the most recent source. Contact the distillery first.
Sources and latest checks
Whisky Clan has retained the original researched history and source notes above. The comparison table lists documented expressions, not guaranteed current stock. Please check the producer's current bottle labels for strength, cask details and availability.
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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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