🥃 Glenglassaugh
Distillery and single malt Scotch brand on Sandend Bay near Portsoy (Aberdeenshire, Highland), founded in 1874; several long closures; owned by Brown-Forman.
Glenglassaugh is a distillery and single malt Scotch whisky brand on the shore of Sandend Bay near Portsoy, in Aberdeenshire, in the Highland region. It was founded in 1874 by local businessman James Moir; some reference works give 1875. Today the distillery belongs to the American company Brown-Forman, which also owns BenRiach and GlenDronach.
History. In 1892 the distillery was bought by Highland Distillers. For most of the 20th century it alternated between operating and standing idle: it was stopped in 1907, fully rebuilt in 1960 and closed again in 1986. In 2008 a new owner restarted production. In 2013 Glenglassaugh passed to BenRiach Distillery Company, and in 2016, together with BenRiach and GlenDronach, to Brown-Forman.
How it is made. There are only two stills: one for the first distillation and one for the second. There are six washbacks, four wooden and two steel. Water comes from the Glassaugh Spring. Most of the malt is unpeated, although peated malt is distilled in some seasons. Capacity is about 1 million litres of pure alcohol a year.
Range. After the restart came Revival (2012), Evolution (2013) and the peated Torfa (2014). The brand's website currently lists a 12-year-old, Sandend and Portsoy without an age statement, and a 15-year-old. They mature in casks that held bourbon, sherry, wine and port.
Why this matters to you. In 2025 Brown-Forman moved Glenglassaugh to production shared with BenRiach, with periods of downtime, so output varies from year to year. The age on the label refers to the youngest whisky in the bottle; strength is at least 40% ABV. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe amount of alcohol.
Facts
| Year founded | 1874 (some sources say 1875), James Moir; Portsoy, Aberdeenshire |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Highland) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky (whisky/whiskey) |
| Raw material | barley malt, mostly unpeated, peated in some seasons; water from Glassaugh Spring |
| Distillation method | twice, 2 copper stills (1 + 1); about 1 million litres of alcohol a year |
| Cask type | casks that held bourbon, sherry (including manzanilla and Pedro Ximénez), red wine and port |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in oak by law; the main age-stated expression is 12 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | at least 40% ABV by law |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Glenglassaugh → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Sherry, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Highland whisky
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Peated whisky, 🥃 BenRiach, 🥃 The GlenDronach
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Glenglassaugh closed for good?
No. In 2025 the owner moved the distillery to production shared with BenRiach, with periods of downtime. According to Whisky Advocate, Brown-Forman does not call this a closure.
When was Glenglassaugh founded?
In 1874; the founder was James Moir. Some reference works give 1875.
Who owns Glenglassaugh?
Brown-Forman, since 2016, together with BenRiach and GlenDronach.
Is Glenglassaugh ever peated?
Yes. Most of the malt is unpeated, but peated malt is distilled in some seasons; the peated Torfa was released in 2014.
Where is the distillery?
On the shore of Sandend Bay near the town of Portsoy in Aberdeenshire. Under Scotch whisky rules it is in the Highland region.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
- 🧑🤝🧑 British — People of Great Britain; their protected West Country Cheddar matures for at least 9 months, and tea is drunk with milk.
Similar
🥃 Edradour · 🥃 Blair Athol · 🥃 Glengoyne · 🥃 Ben Nevis · 🥃 Knockdhu · 🥃 Abhainn Dearg
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): Glenglassaugh (1874, James Moir; Portsoy, Aberdeenshire; Highland Distillers 1892; silent 1907, rebuilt 1960; closed 1986; reopened 2008; BenRiach Distillery Co 2013; Brown-Forman 2016; 2 stills, 6 washbacks; Glassaugh Spring; 1 mlpa; Torfa 2014)
- Glenglassaugh (official site): stills on the shores of Sandend Bay; 12 Years Old (bourbon, sherry, red wine casks), Sandend, Portsoy, 15 Years Old
- Whisky Advocate: Glenglassaugh Moves to Shared Production Model With Sister Distillery Benriach (28.01.2025)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)