About Glen Ord Whisky Distillery
Distillery Number
01463 872004
Distillery Founded
1838
Distillery Capacity
5 000 000 litres
Distillery Status
Active
Distillery Owner
Diageo
Distillery Address
Muir of Ord, Ross-Shire
Distillery Website
www.malts.com
1838
Thomas Mackenzie founds the distillery and licenses it to Ord Distillery Co. (Robert Johnstone and Donald MacLennan).
1847
Robert Johnstone, by now single owner of Ord Distillery Co., becomes bankrupt and the distillery is put up for sale.
1855
Alexander MacLennan and Thomas McGregor buy the distillery.
1870
Alexander MacLennan dies and the distillery is taken over by his widow who even-tually marries the banker Alexander Mackenzie.
1877
Alexander Mackenzie leases the distillery.
1878
Alexander Mackenzie builds a new still house and barely manages to start production before a fire destroys it.
1882
Mackenzie registers the name Glenoran to be used for whisky from Glen Ord.
1896
Alexander Mackenzie dies and the distillery is sold to the blending company James Watson & Co. for £15,800.
1923
John Jabez Watson, James Watson’s son and the only remaining family member, dies and the distillery is sold to John Dewar & Sons. The name is changed from Glen Oran to Glen Ord.
1925
Dewar’s joins Distillers Company Limited.
1930
Glen Ord is transferred to Scottish Malt Distillers (SMD).
1961
Substantial renovation takes place; floor maltings is abandoned in favour of Saladin box.
1966
The two stills are increased to six.
1968
To augment the Saladin box a drum maltings is built.
1983
Malting in the Saladin box ceases.
1988
A visitor centre is opened.
2002
A 12 year old is launched.
2003
A limited-edition cask strength, 28 years, is launched.
2004
A 25 year old is launched.
2005
A 30 year old is launched as a Special Release from Diageo.
2006
A 12 year old Singleton of Glen Ord is launched.
Reproduced from the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2009 with the kind permission of Mr Ingvar Ronde