Glenglassaugh Distillery
Glenglassaugh Distillery is at the east end of the beautiful Sandend Bay, with a spirit still handcrafted by a small, highly skilled team dedicated to creating the highest quality whisky.
Midway along the coastal road between Sandend and Portsoy stands Glenglassaugh Distillery. Past fields and forests that follow the rolling hills in one direction and fall away to the sea in the other, both villages were born of a different time – where living off the land and sea were the way of life. Today they’re a romantic reminder of why people fall in love with this place.
Address:
Glenglassaugh Distillery, Portsoy, Aberdeenshire AB45 2SQ
This distillery is included as part of our East Speyside Tour.
About:
At Glenglassaugh Distillery we produce our whisky using the highest quality of Scottish barley and our traditional distilling methods. From the germination of the barley to the flow of the purest middle cuts of distilled spirit, every step of the carefully attended whisky process contributes to Glenglassaugh’s distinctive character. While many distilleries have become highly automated, here at Glenglassaugh our spirit is still handcrafted by a small, highly skilled team dedicated to creating the highest quality product. Only the finest casks are selected to slowly mature our precious spirit in our coastal warehouses until it is ready to be savoured.
History:
Glenglassaugh Distillery was founded by Col. James Moir in 1875. He quickly established a reputation for making a quality whisky and the company prospered. He ran the distillery with his two nephews until 1892, when Glenglassaugh was purchased by Highland Distillers. After being completely re-built in 1960, the distillery continued to produce whisky until 1986 when it was mothballed.
The distillery sat silent for over 20 years until it was purchased by a group of investors and started production again in December 2008. In 2013, the BenRiach Distillery Company took over Glenglassaugh distillery with the intention to bring this iconic distillery fully back to life by giving it the investment, commitment and care it deserves.
Podcast:
In the December 2024 episode of the Distillery Tours podcast we spoke to Stewart Buchanan, Global Brand Ambassador for Benriach, Glendronach and Glenglassaugh distilleries.
Stewart's undeniable enthusiasm for all things whisky shines through as we learn more about the enduring histories of both Benriach and Glendronach. But it is Glenlassaugh that we pay particular attention to, the small but perfectly formed distillery that is so heavily influenced by both land and sea and provides visitors with, in Stewart’s words: a ‘window to the past’ of whisky making.
Experiences:
A select number of private and exclusive pre-booked tours are available at the distillery. See for yourself how we harness the elemental forces for our coastal whisky with a tour of where we call home. Surround yourself in our landscape, the rolling farmland of Portsoy, and the North Sea views of Sandend that play an intrinsic part of creating Glenglassaugh Single Malt.
Walk through the footprint of the original distillery built by James Moir. Gaze up at the two perfectly polished copper stills and get up close to the casks quietly sleeping in our dunnage warehouses.
