Longmorn Distillery: History, Owner, Range and Visitor Guide
Updated: 2 days ago
Longmorn is a Speyside single malt distillery in Moray, founded in 1893 and now owned by Chivas Brothers, part of Pernod Ricard. It sits in the Strathspey whisky producing area, and its story is tied to a private railway, a wholesale collapse and the founder who built both.
In this guide
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Longmorn at a glance
At a glance | Longmorn Distillery |
|---|---|
Location | Longmorn, near Elgin, Speyside |
Founded | 1893, John Duff and business partners |
Owner | Chivas Brothers / Pernod Ricard |
Character and heritage | Creamy, rich Speyside spirit and the historic private railway to neighbouring BenRiach |
Regular public visitor access | A regular public distillery tour programme could not be independently verified. |
Bottle information | Some named official expressions, with availability dependent on market |
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The story, ownership and production of Longmorn
Who founded Longmorn?
The Longmorn Distillery Company was founded in 1893 by John Duff, Charles Shirres and George Thomson. Duff was a former manager of the Glendronach Distillery and the Bon Accord Distillery in Aberdeen. He also founded Glenlossie, and was involved in distilleries in Cape Town and the USA that did not last.
Longmorn started production in December 1894. The distillery describes Duff as a progressive founder from the industrial era, and says he built a railway to carry his whisky far and wide.
The railway and BenRiach
Duff built the BenRiach distillery next door a few years later. Wikipedia dates this to three years after Longmorn started, and BenRiach itself gives 1898 as its founding year. The two were joined by a private railway with its own steam locomotive, nicknamed the Puggy, which moved coal, barley, peat and barrels between them.
The Pattisons collapse
In 1899 the wholesale buyer Pattisons Limited collapsed, and both distilleries were hit. Duff was ruined by the collapse. Longmorn Distilleries Company Ltd then passed through a variety of ownerships.
Ownership through the 20th century
1970: Longmorn joined The Glenlivet and Glen Grant to form The Glenlivet Distillers Ltd
1978: The Glenlivet Distillers Ltd was bought by Chivas Brothers
2001: Chivas Brothers was acquired by the French Pernod Ricard Group
The range
The official site lists a collection of three single malts: Longmorn 18 Year Old, 22 Year Old and 30 Year Old. The distillery says they are matured in barrels and hogsheads, with the 30 Year Old matured in hogsheads and American oak barrels. Longmorn describes itself as nearing 130 years of Speyside single malt making.
Awards
The Longmorn 16 year old expression received two silver medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, in 2008 and 2009.
Longmorn whisky bottles and key expressions
The comparison covers identifiable official bottles plus any explicitly labelled historic or special releases. Availability and exact cask details may vary by market and edition.
Named bottle / release | Age | ABV | Cask or release information |
|---|---|---|---|
Longmorn 18 Year Old | 18 years | Check edition | Barrels and hogsheads; producer's current age-stated expression |
Longmorn 22 Year Old | 22 years | Check edition | Selected barrels and hogsheads |
Longmorn 30 Year Old | 30 years | Check edition | Hogsheads and American oak barrels |
Longmorn 16 Year Old Legacy Expression | 16 years | Check edition | Historical official expression; bottle details vary |
A closer look at Longmorn 18 Year Old
Longmorn Scotch whisky (historic photograph) bottle photograph
An independently photographed Longmorn Scotch whisky bottle from 2007. The exact expression has not been verified; this photograph is a historical illustration of Longmorn whisky, not a modern product listing.
Whisky flavour, casks and tasting notes
Creamy, rich Speyside spirit and the historic private railway to neighbouring BenRiach. The precise aromas and flavours depend on the individual bottle, cask and age. These are distillery style observations, not original Whisky Clan bottle tasting scores. We only publish a personal rating once we have reviewed that whisky.
Where can you buy Longmorn?
Check the individual source pages listed below and reputable whisky specialists or auctioneers for historic releases. Prices and distribution can differ across the UK, the US, Europe, Canada and Australia. Historic catalogue listings do not confirm current stock.
Visitor information
A regular public distillery tour programme could not be independently verified.
More distilleries in Speyside Scotland
Discover other producers in the same region.
Help us improve this distillery guide
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Frequently asked questions about Longmorn
Who owns Longmorn Distillery?
Longmorn is owned by Chivas Brothers / Pernod Ricard.
When was Longmorn founded?
1893, John Duff and business partners.
Where is Longmorn?
Longmorn, near Elgin, Speyside.
Can you visit Longmorn?
A regular public distillery tour programme could not be independently verified..
Which bottles does Longmorn have?
The best-known expressions are compared in the bottle table above. Check each edition's bottle strength and availability.
Sources, image credits and official links
Longmorn official website (longmorn.com, home and collection pages), Wikipedia (Longmorn distillery) and BenRiach official website. Visitor details were not found on a loaded source, so check the distillery before travelling. The Wikipedia and BenRiach dates for the building of BenRiach differ and both are stated above.
Featured image: original Longmorn distillery photograph from the Whisky Clan Wix media library. Attribution and correction requests are welcome.
Photograph by D.L., via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Photograph is reproduced without changes.
Featured photograph: Longmorn Distillery, photographed in May 2013 by Peter Moore. CC BY-SA 2.0; image cropped for the cover.
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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