Glen Garioch
In the small town of Oldmeldrum in Aberdeenshire stands Glen Garioch, one of Scotland's oldest distilleries – probably founded in 1797 and today the easternmost distillery in the Highlands. Despite its considerable age, Glen Garioch proves remarkably forward-thinking: since as early as 1982, the distillery has used North Sea natural gas to heat its stills, even using the resulting waste heat to warm greenhouses for growing tomatoes.
Since 1994, Glen Garioch has belonged to the Japanese Suntory group. From the Glen Garioch 12 Year Old to the Founder's Reserve, you will find the right bottle for every occasion in our selection.
Content: 0.7 Liter (€59.99 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Code: PFINGSTEN26
Content: 0.7 Liter (€107.13 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
CODE: BLACK25
Content: 0.7 Liter (€48.56 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€192.84 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
CODE: BLACK25
Content: 0.7 Liter (€85.70 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€77.13 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€59.99 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€95.70 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€135.70 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€55.70 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
How old is Glen Garioch really?
The exact founding date remains uncertain: most sources cite 1797, yet a distillery called Glen Garioch was already mentioned in "The Aberdeen Journal" newspaper as early as 1785. What is certain is that over its more than 200-year history, the distillery went through numerous changes of ownership and closures: it passed to the Distillers Company Limited in 1937 and was closed in 1968 due to persistent water supply problems. In 1970, Stanley P. Morrison Ltd bought the distillery and solved the water issue with a new deep well; production resumed in 1973.
What changed under Suntory?
In 1994, the Japanese Suntory group acquired Morrison Bowmore Distillers, which had grown out of Stanley P. Morrison Ltd – and closed Glen Garioch again just a year later. Production only resumed in August 1997 and has run uninterrupted ever since. One significant stylistic shift: since the 1995 vintage, Glen Garioch has deliberately used unpeated malt. Anyone seeking the smokier, more heavily peated bottlings from before that point must turn to older, independently bottled vintages – the current core bottlings such as Founder's Reserve and the 12-year-old are unpeated.
Overview of the most popular bottlings
1. Glen Garioch 12 Year Old
The accessible core bottling of the distillery.
Taste: Heather, spice, oak, and fruity sweetness.
Serving suggestion: An aromatic introduction to the modern, unpeated Glen Garioch style.
2. Glen Garioch Founder's Reserve
An accessible everyday dram with no age statement.
Taste: Floral and earthy with cherry, vanilla, and a spicy finish.
Serving suggestion: For everyday enjoyment and as a gift for newcomers.
Facts and figures
Address: Oldmeldrum, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. Founded: probably 1797. Owner: Morrison Bowmore (Suntory). Region: Eastern Highlands. Peating style: unpeated since the 1995 vintage.