About Glenmorangie Whisky Distillery
Distillery Owner
The Glenmorangie Co
Distillery Founded
1843
Distillery Status
Active
Distillery Capacity
4 000 000 litres
Distillery Address
Tain, Ross-shire IV19 1BR
Distillery Number
01862 892477
Distillery Website
www.glenmorangie.com
1843
William Mathesen, formerly part-owner of Balblair Distillery, and brother John apply for a license for a farm distillery called Morangie, which is rebuilt by them. Production took place here in 1738, and possibly since 1703.
1849
Production starts in November.
1880
Exports to foreign destinations such as Rome and San Francisco commence.
1887
The distillery is rebuilt and Glenmorangie Distillery Company Ltd is formed.
1918
40% of the distillery is sold to GDCL´s largest customer, Macdonald & Muir Ltd and 60 % to the whisky dealer Durham. Macdonald & Muir takes over Durham’s share by the late thirties.
1931
The distillery closes due to the depression and prohibition in the US.
1936
Production restarts in November.
1980
Number of stills increases from two to four and own maltings ceases.
1990
The number of stills is doubled to eight.
1994
A visitor centre opens. September sees the launch of Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish which marks the start of a number of different wood finishes.
1995
Glenmorangie´s Tain l´Hermitage (Rhone wine) is launched
1996
Two different wood finishes are launched, Madeira and Sherry. Glenmorangie plc is formed.
1997
A museum opens.
2001
A limited edition of a cask strength port wood finish is released in July, Cote de Beaune Wood Finish is launched in September and Three Cask (ex-Bourbon, charred oak and ex-Rioja) is launched in October for Sainsbury’s.
2002
A Sauternes finish, a 20 year Glenmorangie with two and a half years in Sauternes casks, is launched.
2003
Burgundy Wood Finish is launched in July and a limited edition of cask strength Madeira-matured (i. e. not just finished) in August.
2004
Glenmorangie buys the Scotch Malt Whisky Society which has 27,000 members worldwide. The Macdonald family decides to sell Glenmorangie plc (including the distilleries Glenmorangie, Glen Moray and Ardbeg). Bidding is frantic and the buyer is Moët Hennessy (owned by Diageo and LVMH) at
2005
A 30 year old is launched.
2007
The entire range gets a complete makeover with 15 and 30 year olds being discontinued and the rest are given new names as well as new packaging.
2008
An expansion of production capacity is started. Astar and Signet are launched.
Reproduced from the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2009 with the kind permission of Mr Ingvar Ronde