Glenburgie Distillery, Forres: The Heart of Ballantine’s

Overview

Glenburgie is one of the oldest distilleries in Speyside. Records mention a distillery here, then called Kilnflat, as early as 1810. It stands near Alves, between Elgin and Forres, and is now owned by Chivas Brothers. It is best known as the heart of Ballantine’s, one of the world’s best-selling blends. It has two claims to fame: Margaret Nichol, thought to be the first woman to manage a Scotch whisky distillery, and the rare Glencraig whisky made in its Lomond stills from 1958 to 1981.

Where it is

The distillery is near the village of Alves, just off the A96 between Elgin (about 6 miles east) and Forres (about 5 miles west), close to Kinloss. Inverness is about 30 miles west, around 45 minutes’ drive.

The full history

Kilnflat to Glenburgie

A distillery called Kilnflat worked here from at least 1810, and official records begin in 1829. It closed in 1870, was renamed Glenburgie in 1871, and reopened in 1878 as the Victorian whisky boom got under way.

Margaret Nichol

Glenburgie closed again from 1927 to 1935 during the Depression. Around this time it was run by Margaret Nichol, who is regarded as the first woman to manage a whisky distillery, in an industry run almost entirely by men.

Hiram Walker, Ballantine’s and Glencraig

In 1936 the Canadian distiller Hiram Walker bought Glenburgie and made it a key malt for Ballantine’s. In 1958 two Lomond stills were installed. These were experimental pot stills with adjustable plates in their necks. Their whisky was sold as Glencraig, named after Willie Craig, a Hiram Walker production director. In 1981 the Lomond stills were replaced with conventional ones, and Glencraig is now a sought-after rarity.

Rebuilt for Chivas

Hiram Walker became part of Allied Lyons in 1987. Production stopped in 2000, and the distillery was rebuilt in 2003–04. Only the original stills were kept, in a new, efficient building. When Pernod Ricard bought Allied Domecq in 2005, Glenburgie passed to Chivas Brothers. Two more stills were added in 2006.

How it’s made

Glenburgie has a capacity of about 4.2 million litres a year. Most of its fruity, light spirit goes into Ballantine’s and Old Smuggler. Official single malt bottlings are uncommon, but Chivas has released aged Glenburgie in its Ballantine’s single malt series.

Clans, castles & Macbeth

• Brodie Castle, about 8 miles west of Forres, has been the home of the Brodies of Brodie for centuries. It is now cared for by the National Trust for Scotland.
• Macbeth’s heath: tradition places the meeting with the three witches on the Hardmuir between Forres and Nairn.
• The Battle of Auldearn, 1645, about 12 miles west, was one of Montrose’s great victories. See Battle of Auldearn.
• The Dunbar Earls of Moray and later the Stewart Earls of Moray held this coastal plain. See Clan Stewart.

Stones, abbeys & lochs

• Sueno’s Stone, Forres: the tallest Pictish cross-slab in Scotland, about 6 metres high, carved with an army in battle. See our standing stones guide.
• Kinloss Abbey, a few miles north, was founded by David I in 1150. Fragments survive in the old kirkyard.
• Burghead, on the coast, was one of the largest Pictish forts in Scotland. Its carved bull stones and the Burning of the Clavie every January are famous.
• Loch Spynie and the Findhorn Bay nature reserve are close by. See our lochs guide.

Visiting

Glenburgie is production only, with no visitor centre or tours. For a distillery tour nearby, Benromach in Forres is excellent.

Nearby distilleries

• Benromach, Forres (about 5 miles), with tours.
• Miltonduff, near Elgin (about 5 miles): another Ballantine’s malt.
• Glen Moray, Elgin (about 6 miles).
• Royal Brackla, near Cawdor (about 18 miles).

The Speyside Whisky Trail and the whisky hub cover the region.

Sources

• Glenburgie distillery — Wikipedia.
• Chivas Brothers / Pernod Ricard.
• National Trust for Scotland (Brodie Castle).