Glen Moray has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade. While serving as a crucial base for the Label 5 blended Scotch whisky, Glen Moray's single malt has carved out its own respected position in the market, earning praise from whisky connoisseurs and achieving impressive sales figures. The distillery's success is partly attributed to La Martiniquaise's management, but distillery manager and master blender Graham Coull deserves special recognition. Coull entered the whisky industry in 1994 and became Glen Moray's distillery manager in 2005. However, he embraced a new challenge in October 2019, departing for Ireland's Dingle Distillery to take on the role of distillery manager and master distiller. Since 2016, Glen Moray has operated with an 11-ton full lauter mash tun, 14 stainless steel fermenters with a 50-60 hour fermentation period, and nine stills (three wash and six spirit stills). Current annual production stands at 5.7 million liters of new make spirit. The company plans to recommission its old mash tun, add additional fermenters, and install two new wash stills, increasing capacity to 8.9 million liters annually. In 2019, the distillery ran 28 mashes per week, producing 5.7 million liters, including 100,000 liters of peated spirit at 50ppm. That same year, Glen Moray removed two smaller warehouses to accommodate two large warehouses and a palletized storage facility. The core range includes Classic, Classic Port Finish, Classic Chardonnay Finish, Classic Sherry Finish, Classic Cabernet Sauvignon Finish, Classic Peated, and 12, 15, and 18-year-old expressions. In 2018, Glen Moray launched a 10-year-old Fired Oak, matured for a decade in bourbon casks before spending ten months in heavily charred American virgin oak. Recent limited releases include a 21-year-old Port Finish, a 30-year-old Sherry Finish, and an expression finished for two years in apple brandy casks. In autumn 2019, Glen Moray introduced a whisky finished for two years in Martinique Rhum Agricole casks. Additionally, the distillery has released three 15-year-old whiskies matured respectively in white Burgundy, Chardonnay, and Madeira wine casks.
History
Glen Moray Distillery was established in 1897 by the Glen Moray-Glenlivet Distillery Company Ltd on the site of the former Elgin West Brewery, chosen for its reliable water source. Uniquely, the distillery sits on the town's outskirts alongside Elgin's county jail on the main westward road—a warning to lawless Highlanders. Closed in 1910 due to economic depression, it was acquired by Macdonald & Muir Ltd. (see Glenmorangie) in 1920 and reopened in 1923. In 1958, the stillhouse expanded from two to four stills, with much of the output allocated to Macdonald & Muir's successful Highland Queen blend. Glen Moray single malt was first sold in 1976 but only actively promoted from the early 1990s. Macdonald & Muir began experimenting with wine cask finishing at Glen Moray—a technique that became a hallmark of Glenmorangie. In 1999, three wine-finished expressions were released: a no-age-statement Chardonnay, 12-year-old Chenin Blanc, and 16-year-old Chenin Blanc. In 2004, Glen Moray was sold to LVMH along with Glenmorangie. LVMH sold Glen Moray to the French spirits company La Martiniquaise in September 2008. The new owners added two more stills in 2012–13, increasing capacity by over one-third.
Curiosities
Throughout its distinguished 110-year modern era, Glenmorangie has been guided by only five distillery managers—a testament to extraordinary continuity. When Ed Dodson retired in 2005 after 18 years of service, the distillery commemorated his legacy by releasing a rare 1962-vintage 'Manager's Choice' single malt, which has since become one of the most coveted collector's items in the whisky world.
Timeline
Elgin West Brewery, established in 1830, was converted into Glen Moray distillery.
The distillery closed.
Glen Moray distillery was sold to Macdonald & Muir due to financial difficulties.
The distillery resumed production.
The distillery was renovated, with Saladin boxes replacing floor malting.
In-house malting ceased.
The number of stills increased to four.
Macdonald & Muir was renamed Glenmorangie plc.
Released Chardonnay wine cask expressions and two Chenin Blanc wine cask finish expressions.
Released Glen Moray 1986 Cask Strength, Glen Moray 20 Year Old, and Glen Moray 30 Year Old.
Released Glen Moray 1963 and Glen Moray 1964, new Manager's Choice expressions.
Released new Mountain Oak expression.
Glen Moray distillery was sold to La Martiniquaise.
Released Glen Moray 14 Year Old (Port cask finish) and Glen Moray 8 Year Old (matured in red wine casks).
Released two cask finish expressions and Glen Moray 10 Year Old matured in Chardonnay wine casks.
Released Glen Moray 2003, matured in Chenin Blanc wine casks.
Released Glen Moray 25 Year Old, bourbon cask.
Released Glen Moray Classic Bourbon Cask expression.
Released Glen Moray Classic Peated expression.
Released Classic Chardonnay Cask Finish, Classic Sherry Cask Finish, Glen Moray 15 Year Old, and Glen Moray 18 Year Old.
Released Glen Moray Mastery.
Released Fired Oak, a 10-year-old expression.
Released Glen Moray Rhum Agricole cask finish expression.
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