Free UK Delivery on Orders over £99
United Kingdom, Keith, Dufftown
Website is not provided.
Countryscotland
Regionspeyside
Established1990
OwnerWilliam Grant & Sons Ltd
TypeSingle malt
Number of stills3 wash, 6 spirit
Visitor centerNo
StatusActive
Phonen/a

About
Kininvie Distillery

Kininvie Distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery located in Dufftown, Moray, Scotland. Owned by William Grant & Sons, the distillery's products are primarily used in the company's blended malt and blended whisky brands.

History

The Kininvie Distillery commenced production on July 4, 1990. Built on the grounds of the Balvenie distillery, Kininvie initially consisted only of a still house. The distillery features computer-controlled distillation processes but lacks its own mash house. Instead, the liquid used in Kininvie’s washbacks is piped from the Balvenie distillery, located approximately 200 meters away. Despite this, Kininvie has its own dedicated mash tun and washbacks on the Balvenie premises and follows its own barley specifications. To meet demand, the distillery operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The primary output of Kininvie Distillery is used in William Grant & Sons' blended whiskies, especially Clan MacGregor, a blended whisky known for its high percentage of grain whisky mixed with single malt from Kininvie and other distilleries.

Single Malt Releases

Initially, Kininvie's only single malt releases were limited editions branded as Hazelwood, named after the home of Janet Sheed Roberts. Roberts, the granddaughter of William Grant and a director of William Grant & Sons, was honored with these bottlings. In 2013, the company began releasing whisky under the Kininvie name, starting with a 23-year-old single malt distilled in 1990, the year the distillery began operations. In late 2015, William Grant & Sons resurrected the Hazelwood name for the House of Hazelwood line of blended whiskies, prominently featuring Kininvie.

The distillery's innovation arm, Kininvie Works, released three experimental Kininvie whiskies in 2019. These included a triple-distilled single malt, a single grain whisky using a rye and barley mash distilled through copper pot stills, and a single distillery blend comprising both the single grain and double-distilled malt.

Importance to William Grant & Sons

The construction of Kininvie Distillery was prompted by pressure on stock in the late 1980s. Glenfiddich’s success required its production to be reserved exclusively for single malt releases, necessitating the creation of another distillery to produce single malt for blending purposes. Kininvie has since become a crucial component in Grant’s blended malt brand, Monkey Shoulder.

Notable Releases

  • Hazelwood: Limited editions dedicated to Janet Sheed Roberts, featuring various ages and expressions.
  • Kininvie 23-Year-Old (2013): A limited edition single malt initially released for the Taiwanese market.
  • Kininvie 17-Year-Old (2014): A follow-up release for global markets.
  • Kininvie Works Experimental Series (2019): Including a triple-distilled single malt, a single grain whisky with a rye and barley mash, and a single distillery blend.

Ownership Timeline

  • William Grant & Sons: The distillery has been owned by William Grant & Sons since its inception in 1990.

The Kininvie Distillery continues to play a significant role in William Grant & Sons' portfolio, both as a key component in their blended whiskies and through its growing range of single malt expressions.

News from
Kininvie Distillery

Sorry, there are no news from this distillery yet.

Bottles from Kininvie Distillery

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.

Every time we'll add new rare spirit to our website, we'll update you in the email