Glen Ord Distillery

Glen Ord Distillery stands in the Scottish Highlands near Muir of Ord, beside Loch nam Bonnach and Loch nan Eun. Water from these lochs once turned two large water wheels that powered the early distillery. A well known as the Cuckoo Well supplied water for mashing. The barley crop grown on the MacKenzie estate provided the raw material when the distillery was founded in 1838. Today the site includes modern mechanical floor maltings built in 1968 to serve several distilleries. The distillery has won awards at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in 1994 and 1996. It also received Monde Selection awards in 1996 and 1997. Glen Ord produces single malts aged twelve, fifteen and eighteen years under the name The Singleton of Glen Ord. Part of the output is exported only to Southeast Asia. The distillery has expanded capacity by tripling stills in 1966 and planning a new building in 2012. Visitors find a working distillery where water wheels once drove the machinery. The Cuckoo Well still supplies water for production. The modern floor maltings stand next to older buildings. Tours explain how barley becomes whisky and how wastewater is treated with Biobed Modular Plant technology. The surrounding barley fields and Highland hills complete the setting.