Glenglassaugh distillery

Glenglassaugh is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery beside Sandend on Scotland’s north-east coast. It stands between the fishing village of Sandend and the small port of Portsoy, where the Glassaugh Springs feed the stills. Founded in 1875 by James Moir and his nephews Alexander and William Morrison, the site once housed an illicit still known for its fine spirit. Highland Distillers bought the distillery in 1892 and ran it until 2008, when an independent group restarted production. Alex Salmond, then Scotland’s First Minister, reopened the distillery in November 2008 after a full refurbishment. The distillery is worth the journey for its long tradition of quality whisky. Ian Buxton, a whisky writer, recorded its rebirth in the book Glenglassaugh: A Distillery Reborn. In 2013 BenRiach Distillery Company took over, and in 2016 Brown-Forman became owner. Brown-Forman released a new 12-year-old single malt in 2023, its label inspired by Sandend Bay’s sand and sea glass colours. The site’s pure water and nearby barley fields have supported whisky-making for more than a century. Its history reflects both legal success and Scotland’s long tradition of small stills. Visitors find a working distillery with gleaming copper stills and warehouses filled with casks. The shop sells exclusive bottlings unavailable elsewhere. Nearby Sandend Bay offers a quiet stretch of sand and views across the Moray Firth. Glassaugh railway station, once used by workers, is a short walk away. The surrounding landscape of rolling fields and coastal cliffs adds to the sense of place. The distillery’s art and packaging echo the colours of the nearby shore.