Glen Moray Distillery, Elgin: Approachable Speyside from the Lossie

Overview

Glen Moray, on the banks of the River Lossie at Elgin, makes an easy-going, approachable, good-value Speyside malt that has won a lot of friends as an affordable way into single malt — and, more recently, as an adventurous distillery experimenting with wine-cask and peated releases. It is one of the friendliest and most accessible distilleries to visit in the region.

The history

Glen Moray was founded in 1897, converted from Elgin’s former West Brewery during the great Victorian whisky boom. For much of the 20th century it was a blending malt for Glenmorangie’s owners; since 2008 it has belonged to the French group La Martiniquaise, who have invested heavily and greatly expanded it while keeping its welcoming, unpretentious character.

The water & the land

Glen Moray takes its water from the River Lossie, which runs past the distillery through Elgin.

Glen Moray had no founding clan — it was a commercial brewery-to-distillery conversion. Elgin, the old cathedral city of Moray, sat in country historically shaped by the Gordon earls and the Grant/Seafield line.

Visiting

Glen Moray has a welcoming visitor centre and runs daily guided tours, tastings and a shop — booking is advised, and hours reduce in winter; check the website. Its central Elgin location and good-value tours make it one of the easiest Speyside visits.

Nearby & more whisky

• Elgin’s other malt: BenRiach
• Speyside — the region overview
• The whole picture: Scotch whisky — the full guide

Sources

• Glen Moray distillery — Wikipedia.
• Glen Moray; Undiscovered Scotland.