Glenkinchie

Just 25 kilometres from Edinburgh, in an idyllic valley between the Lammermuir Hills and the Firth of Forth, Glenkinchie produces one of Scotland's last remaining Lowland malts. Founded in 1825, initially under the name Milton, by brothers George and John Rate, the distillery received its present name in 1837 – derived from "Quincy", the family that once owned the land.

In 1998, in a notable internal decision, Glenkinchie prevailed over sister distillery Rosebank and was chosen as the Lowland representative in Diageo's exclusive Classic Malts Selection. With Glenkinchie 12 Year Old, you will find the core bottling of this classic, often nicknamed the "Edinburgh Malt", in our selection.

Glenkinchie 12 Year Old 43% vol. 0,7l

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Content: 0.7 Liter (€42.84 / 1 Liter)

Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days

€29.99

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Glenkinchie 12 Year Old 43%vol. Sample 0,04l

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Content: 0.04 Liter (€149.75 / 1 Liter)

Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days

€5.99

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Glenkinchie Distillers Edition 43%vol. 0,7l

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contains Colour

Content: 0.7 Liter (€74.99 / 1 Liter)

Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days

€52.49 UVP: €58.99 (11.02% saved)

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New

Glenkinchie 2013/2026 - 12 Year Old - Oloroso Sherry Cask #12352875 - The Octave - 50th Anniversary Kirsch Import

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Natural Colour

Content: 0.7 Liter (€128.56 / 1 Liter)

Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days

€89.99 UVP: €94.90 (5.17% saved)

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How did Glenkinchie survive bankruptcy and life as a sawmill?

In 1825, brothers George and John Rate founded the distillery under the name Milton; it was renamed Glenkinchie in 1837. In 1853, the Rate brothers went bankrupt, and the site was temporarily converted into a sawmill. It was only in 1881 that a consortium from Edinburgh resumed whisky production in response to rising demand for blended whisky; in 1890, the newly founded Glenkinchie Distillery Company took over and extensively modernised the plant. In 1914, the Scottish Malt Distillers (SMD) acquired the distillery, which was mothballed again from 1917 to 1920 due to the war.

Why did Glenkinchie win out over Rosebank?

In 1987, Glenkinchie passed to United Distillers & Vintners (UDV), and thus to today's owner, Diageo. When the group wanted the Lowlands represented in its prestigious Classic Malts Selection in 1998, Glenkinchie was chosen over its then-rival Rosebank – a decision that made Glenkinchie one of the last active Lowland distilleries in Scotland, while Rosebank remained closed for the time being. Since 1969, the decommissioned maltings have also housed a whisky museum with historic exhibits, including a distillery model built for the 1924 Empire Exhibition in London.

The most popular bottling at a glance

1. Glenkinchie 12 Year Old
The official core bottling as the Lowland representative of the Classic Malts.
Taste: Unusually bold for a Lowland malt, with citrus and fresh grass.
Serving suggestion: An excellent introduction to the mild Lowland style.

Facts and figures

Address: Pencaitland, East Lothian. Founded: 1825 (as Milton), renamed Glenkinchie in 1837. Owner: Diageo. Range: Classic Malts (Lowlands, since 1998).