Glendronach distillery

Glendronach distillery stands in the rolling hills of Aberdeenshire, near the small village of Forgue. The name comes from the Gaelic for ‘valley of the brambles’, a reminder of the wild berries that once grew there. Founded in 1826, it was one of the first to hold a legal licence under the 1823 Excise Act. Walter Scott bought the site in 1881, and Charles Grant of Glenfiddich became owner in 1920. The distillery still draws water from the Dronac burn that runs through its grounds. Glendronach is recognised for its sherry-cask whiskies, especially those aged in oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks. The core range includes 12-, 15-, 18- and 21-year-old expressions. William Teacher & Sons expanded the stills from two to six in 1960. After mothballing in 1996, it reopened in 2002 and changed hands several times before Brown–Forman took charge in 2016. The distillery is a category B listed building, preserving its historic character. Visitors find the traditional stone buildings grouped around the working floor maltings. Two wash stills and two spirit stills sit in the stillhouse, where the whisky’s rich colour and flavour develop. The site’s protected status keeps the original layout intact. A tour shows how malted barley is mashed, fermented and distilled before resting in sherry casks. The surrounding Aberdeenshire landscape provides a quiet backdrop to the craft of whisky-making.