Rating
7.8 (383)
Region:
Speyside
Country:
Scotland
Status:
active
Year opened:
1967
Address:
Aberlour, Banffshire, AB38 9LR
Brands:

The story of Glenallachie Distillery

GlenAllachie derives from the Gaelic, Gleann Aileachaidh meaning Valley of the Rocks. The geology surrounding the distillery is dominated by Celtic runes and Pictish stones, and is the reason for the craftsmanship behind our unique branding. The GlenAllachie logo was skillfully designed and chiseled into stone by a local letter sculptor. We wanted to create something eye-catching, rare and true to the roots surrounding GlenAllachie. Not any old stone, not any old whisky either

History

The Glenallachie distillery was built in 1967 by Mackinlay McPherson. It was bought and mothballed by Invergordon Distillers in 1985. They sold it to Campbell Distillers in 1989, who restarted the distillery, and expanded the capacity with two extra stills, bringing the distillery to a two wash- two spirit still configuration. In October 2017, Billy Walker, Trisha Savage and Graham Stevenson came together to purchase the GlenAllachie Distillery. With over 100 years experience between them, many would have expected our three veterans to retire. Before acquiring GlenAllachie, the spirit was predominantly used in blended whiskies. So its no surprise that you probably havent heard of us. Were here to introduce GlenAllachie into the world as the exceptional single malt we have come to love.

Building

The building of the Genallachie distillery was designed by S. Lothian Barclay from Lothian, Barclay Jarvis & Boys and Delme Evans It is located at the foot of Ben Rinnes, close to the Lour burn. The grounds has ponds that are fed by the Lour, that provide water for cooling.

Production

The distillery draws its water from sping fed and snow water fed streams on Ben Rinnes. It uses lightly peated malts. The distillery uses a semi-lauter mash tun, and six stainless steel washbacks. It uses two lantern shaped wash stills, and two onion shaped spirit stills for distillation. The distilled spirit is matured in used oak bourbon barrels. Though the malt is mainly used in blends, it produces a 16 year old cask-strength bottling since 2005, and an 18 year old bottling since 2008. It is mainly used in the Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Clan Campbell blend, and also in the Legendary and White Heather blended whiskies. The whisky is bottled and sold as a twelve-year-old single malt by Delhaize, and Signatory bottles vintage editions of the whisky.