• Founded: 1840
• Status: Operational
• Region: Speyside, Scotland – Rothes, Banffshire AB38 7BS +44(0)1340 832118
• Online: https://www.glengrant.com/

History Glen Grant was founded in 1840, by brothers John and James Grant, two former illegal distillers and smugglers who decided to take out a license. With the sea and port of Garmouth nearby, the River Spey at its feet and barley-growing plains nearby, all the basic ingredients of malt whisky were close at hand. This time the distillery was legal. By 1872, the founders of Glen Grant Distillery had died. Young James ‘The Major’ Grant, born in 1847, had always taken a keen interest in the distillery and having inherited the business and the title ‘Glengrant’ from his uncle John Grant, he was to prove himself a worthy successor. Stories about ‘The Major’ abound. A legendary innovator, socialiser and traveller, he lived by his own rules and set his own standards. New ideas fascinated him and he wasn’t afraid to explore them. He was the first man in the Highlands to own a car. Glen Grant was the first distillery to have electric light. And he introduced the tall slender stills and purifiers which created the fresh malty flavour and clear colour that defines Glen Grant whisky to this day.

In 1931, Major Grant, the last Glengrant, died, survived by his three daughters and a distillery that had become one of the most famous in the world. Douglas MacKessack, his grandson, was to become his successor. In 1972, the Glenlivet and Glen Grant Distilleries Ltd amalgamated with the blending concerns of Hill, Thomson and Co.Ltd and Longmorn Distilleries Ltd to become The Glenlivet Distillers Ltd. The original family interest in the distilleries was maintained, with two substantial outside shareholders: Courage Ltd, the brewing concern and Suntory Ltd, the Japanese distilling company. In 2006, Campari acquired Glen Grant, its only whisky, when Allied Domecq was acquired by Pernod Ricard. To this day, Glen Grant continues to be one of the biggest selling single malts worldwide.

The Whiskyphiles tasting notes

Official Bottling

• Glen Grant 10 Years Old (2021) - Again light, fresh and zesty with a touch of florality, this aged expression seems much more mealy with cereal and husk notes, another very well presented single malt from Glen Grant.
• Glen Grant The Major’s Reserve (2021) - Light, creamy and buttery, full of fresh apples, lemon, vanilla and hazelnut - does exactly what it says on the tin. A delicious light Speyside single malt at a bargain price.

Independent Bottling

Carn Mor

• Glen Grant 22 Years Old 1992 Celebration of the cask (2014) - Glen Grant 22 Years Old 1992 Cask 130800 Celebration of the cask (Carn Mor) 55.7% ABV, £86.50 for 70cl Score: 87/100 What they say: Single malt Glen Grant Scotch whisky, distilled in […]

Douglas Laing

• Glen Grant 18 Years Old 1995 Old Particular (2020) - Glen Grant 18 Years Old 1995 Old Particular whisky review: Deeper and fruitier than the other expression I tried, darker on the nose with strong hits of cocoa and Turkish Delight. 87/100
• Glen Grant 21 Years Old 1992 Old Particular (Douglas Laing) (2013) - Glen Grant 21 Years Old 1992 Old Particular (51.5%, Douglas Laing, Sherry Butt #10026, 374 bottles, 2013) 51.5% ABV, £92.09 Score: 88/100 What they (Master of Malt) say: This Glen Grant single malt […]

Duncan Taylor

• Glen Grant 17 Years Old 1995 Dimensions (2020) - Glen Grant 17 Years Old 1995 Dimensions whisky review: Surprisingly good, lots of thick vanilla and well developed fruity flavours in here, delicious! 86/100
• Glen Grant 20 Years Old 1992 Dimensions (2020) - Glen Grant 20 Years Old 1992 Dimensions whisky review: Sweet and dry with a palate much softer than the nose. Plenty of fruity spirit influence in here again. 86/100

Gordon & MacPhail

• Glen Grant 1949 Speyside Collection (2017) - Glen Grant 1949 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Sherry Casks, 653 Bottles, 2014) Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky Origin: Glen Grant distillery Bottling: Gordon & MacPhail, Speyside Collection ABV: 43% £2794.39 What they say: […]
• Glen Grant 1954 Rare Vintage (2016) - An astonishingly good dram from Gordon & MacPhail. There is a very nice balance to this dram that makes it all so sublime. At first it is a little closed and overpolished wood or toffee but starts to melt in your mouth. Not so much wood and fruit but masses of creamy milk chocolate really hits the spot for me. An incredible example of what Gordon & MacPhail can do with their own cask management - simply stunning! 93/100

Langside

• Glen Grant 10 Years Old 2004 Hepburn’s Choice (2020) - Glen Grant 10 Years Old 2004 Hepburn's Choice whisky review: A little lighter in body than the older expressions due in part to age and reduced activity of the refill hogshead used here perhaps? Still full of that lovely fruity character and gently sweet and spiced. 84/100

Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS 9.143 Graceful gravitas (2018) - Whisky Review: SMWS 9.143 Graceful gravitas: A delicious tropical fruit and herbal-wood filled expression that took me way back to Cheroot cigars and oddly fig and passion fruit balsamic vinegar, there is a strong dessert-wine or gooseberry wine like influence in here too. A superb expression, just delicious. 91/100
• SMWS 9.75 Imperial Leather in a boat chandlery (2014) - Glen Grant 16 Years Old 1997 9.75 Imperial Leather in a boat chandlery (55.3%, SMWS, Refill Bourbon HH, 285 Bottles, 2013) 55.3% ABV, outturn 285 bottles, £53 for 70cl (Glen Grant) Score: […]
• SMWS 9.88 A heart-starter (2015) - Glen Grant 25 Years Old 1988 9.88 A heart-starter (55.3%, SMWS, Refill Sherry Butt, 542 Bottles, 2014) Single malt scotch whisky 55.3% ABV, £99 Score: 87/100 What they say: Cask No. 9.88 […]
• SMWS 9.95 Playful popping in a fruit market (2016) - Whisky review of Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask 9.95 Playful popping in a fruit market Glen Grant 23 Years Old 1990single malt scotch whisky