Glenfarclas Distillery

Glenfarclas Distillery, located in Ballindalloch, Speyside, was founded in 1836 by Robert Hay on Rechlerich Farm. John Grant purchased it in 1865 for £511.19. The Grant family has owned and operated it since, making it one of the few remaining family-owned distilleries in Scotland.

Glenfarclas, meaning “valley of the green grass” in Gaelic, reflects its lush surroundings. The distillery uses traditional methods, including direct-fired stills and Spanish sherry casks for maturation, which impart rich, fruity flavors to its whiskies.

Glenfarclas operates six stills: three wash and three spirit, with capacities of 29,600 and 25,000 liters, respectively. The distillery produces about 3.2 million liters annually. It sources water from local springs on the slopes of Ben Rinnes, contributing to its whisky’s unique character.

Glenfarclas offers a wide range of aged single malts, from 10 to 40 years old. It is renowned for its cask strength bottling, Glenfarclas 105, introduced in 1968. The Family Casks collection, launched in 2007, features vintage releases from every year between 1954 and 1998, showcasing the depth of its aged stocks.

In 1973, Glenfarclas opened one of the first distillery visitor centers, welcoming whisky enthusiasts to explore its history and production process.