| Country | scotland |
| Region | Speyside |
| Established | 1957 |
| Owner | Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard) |
| Type | Single Malt Scotch Whisky |
| Number of stills | 6 (3 wash stills, 3 spirit stills) |
| Visitor center | No |
| Status | Active |
| Phone | n/a |
Glen Keith Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery located in Keith, Speyside, Scotland. It was founded in 1957 and is currently owned by Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard). Long used chiefly as a production and innovation site for blends such as Chivas Regal, it has also served as something of a technical laboratory for Chivas Brothers, pioneering the first gas-fired stills in Scotland.
Construction of Glen Keith began in 1957 on the site of a former meal mill on the banks of the River Isla, and the distillery was completed and commissioned by 1960. Built by Chivas Brothers (then part of the Seagram group), it was the first new distillery to be built in Speyside since the whisky crash of 1898, and it was designed from the outset with triple distillation using three stills.
In 1970, Glen Keith switched to double distillation with the addition of three further stills, bringing the total to six, and it became the first distillery in Scotland to install gas-fired stills. Over the decades the site was also used by Chivas Brothers to trial new production techniques, including the development of proprietary yeast strains, and it produced the smoky Glenisla and Craigduff experimental spirits alongside its standard make.
Glen Keith was mothballed in 1999 during a downturn in the industry. Following a major refurbishment that began in 2012, it reopened in June 2013 with a rebuilt still house and expanded capacity. Since reopening, the vast majority of its output continues to go into blended Scotch whiskies, particularly Chivas Regal, with only limited single malt bottlings released under the distillery's own name.
Glen Keith single malt is bottled only occasionally, as production is dedicated mainly to Chivas Brothers' blends. Official releases have included a Distillery Edition around 40% ABV matured in ex-bourbon American oak, limited cask-strength Distillery Reserve single-cask bottlings, and, more recently, aged expressions (including 21, 25, 28 and 31 Year Old) released under Pernod Ricard's Secret Speyside range, typically bottled around 40–43% ABV.
Glen Keith distillery is located at Glen Keith Distillery, Station Road, Keith, Banffshire, Moray, AB55 5BS, Scotland.
Glen Keith distillery was founded in 1957.
Glen Keith distillery is owned by Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard).
Glen Keith distillery is from Speyside, scotland.
You can buy Glen Keith whisky at Glenbotal.co.uk. We currently stock a selection with free UK delivery on orders over £99.
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About Glenbotal
The idea of Glenbotal came to us naturaly: as whisky lovers, we were always on the lookout for new experiences in the whisky world. That’s why we created Glenbotal and became our very own first customers. We buy unique and hard to find spirits from auctions, ballots, and private collections. Then, we share them with a small circle of friends and people who can appreciate a good dram.