Glenfarclas, a venerable Speyside distillery steeped in tradition, has earned a devoted following for its unwavering commitment to producing high-quality, sherry-matured single malt whisky. With a history dating back to 1836, Glenfarclas remains fiercely independent, a testament to the Grant family‘s dedication to preserving their heritage and craft.
This article traces Glenfarclas Distillery’s journey from its origins as a farm distillery to its current status as a globally recognized brand. We’ll examine the pivotal moments that shaped the distillery’s identity, including the Pattison Whisky Crash of 1898 and the strategic decision to focus on single malt production in the late 1960s. Additionally, we’ll explore Glenfarclas’ impressive range of aged expressions and the recent limited-edition releases that have captured the attention of collectors and connoisseurs worldwide. Whether you’re a long-time admirer of Glenfarclas or new to its distinctive whiskies, this in-depth look offers a fascinating glimpse into the distillery’s enduring legacy.
Early Years: The Farm Distillery
Located on the moors of Banffshire, Glenfarclas sits a mile away from the River Spey and nestles at the foot of Scotland’s Ben Rinnes Mountain. Glenfarclas means ‘valley of the green grass’ in Gaelic, an indication of the rich pasture land which surrounds the distillery. Robert Hay, a tenant farmer, officially founded and licensed Glenfarclas at Recherlich Farm in 1836, although there is evidence an illicit distillery operated at the site from as early as 1791.
Following Hay’s death in 1865, the farm and distillery were left vacant, attracting the attention of a prominent family of local cattle breeders, the Grants. John Grant, and his son George, regarded Recherlich Farm as an ideal halfway staging post between the existing Grant farm at Glenlivet and the Elgin cattle market, negotiating a tenancy agreement in 1865. As part of the Recherlich agreement, the Grants also purchased the Glenfarclas Distillery for a sum of £511.19s.0d.
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As farming was John Grant’s priority, Glenfarclas was initially leased to John Smith of the Glenlivet distillery, although Smith resigned after five years to establish the Cragganmore Distillery in 1870. After Smith’s departure, John and George Grant founded J. & G. Grant Ltd to operate Glenfarclas in 1870, with George Grant taking over distillery management.
In 1889, John Grant passed away with George Grant taking control of Glenfarclas and Recherlich Farm. A year later in 1890, George Grant also passed away leaving his widow Elsie to take over the Glenfarclas licence, while his eldest sons John and George ran the distillery.
Glenfarclas Distillery: A Spirit of Independence
In 1895, John and George Grant took over the Glenfarclas license and established The Glenfarclas-Glenlivet Distillery Co. Ltd, holding a 50% interest in partnership with Pattison, Elder & Co. of Leith. The original Glenfarclas farm distillery was demolished and rebuilt as a modern Victorian distilling plant in 1896.
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The Glenfarclas-Glenlivet Distillery Co. Ltd partnership dissolved abruptly in 1898, a result of the infamous Pattison Whisky Crash which left Pattison, Elder & Co. bankrupt and the Grants in a dire financial predicament. Committed to rebuilding Glenfarclas’ financial stability John and George Grant reformed J. & G. Grant Ltd acquiring the Pattison interest in the distillery, although combined with the cost of rebuilding work Glenfarclas only survived by mortgaging and selling whisky stocks to R.I. Cameron, an Elgin whisky broker.
After 15 years, Glenfarclas’ financial future was secure, and the distillery’s whisky had attained a reputation as a high-quality malt leading a rival distiller to write in May 1912, “of all the whiskies, malt is king, of all the kings, Glenfarclas reigns supreme”. In this turbulent time, Glenfarclas’ Spirit of Independence had been born, which saw the Grant family commit to the principle of keeping Glenfarclas as an independent family-owned and operated distillery going forward. Ill health forced John Grant to begin stepping back at Glenfarclas in 1914, before fully retiring in the early 1920’s, after which George Grant continued to manage the Glenfarclas distillery alone.
In 1948, Glenfarclas belatedly celebrated the distillery’s centenary. It was mistakenly believed at the time that Glenfarclas was first established in 1845, with George Grant opting to postpone the celebrations until after the end of the Second World War. George Grant passed away in 1949, leaving his sons George Scott Grant and John Peter Grant to inherit Glenfarclas.
Glenfarclas Distillery: Establishing Continuing Traditions
George S. Grant’s early years as Glenfarclas’ company chairman coincided with a period of rapid growth and expansion at the Glenfarclas distillery. After the Second World War, a relaxation of wartime barley rationing combined with the repeal of the 1880s Spirits Act in 1952, allowed Glenfarclas to increase production to meet blenders demands for the post-war blended whisky boom.
In 1960, the Glenfarclas Distillery was expanded from two to four stills, doubling production capacity. By the late 1960’s demand for whisky began to decrease resulting in Glenfarclas losing a major blending contract, and leading George S. Grant to a decision to lay down more stock for producing official distillery bottlings rather than have Glenfarclas rely on the blenders. Glenfarclas became the first distillery to release a cask strength single malt in 1968, a bottling which would eventually be renamed Glenfarclas 105 – and remains available today.
From 1972, Glenfarclas’ on-site distillery floor maltings were decommissioned, and malted grain was purchased centrally. In 1973, Glenfarclas also became one of the first distilleries to open a visitors’ center at the distillery site. George S. Grant’s son, John L.S. Grant joined Glenfarclas in 1974. A further two stills were installed at Glenfarclas in 1976, bringing the total to six.
Many of Glenfarclas’ continuing distilling traditions and practices were established under George S. Grant’s leadership of the distillery. Alongside a number of neighboring Speyside distilleries, Glenfarclas uses spring water sourced from Ben Rinnes for distillation, although is one of few distilleries to have retained stills that are heated with direct fire, believing this method adds weight to the distillate.
In 1981, Glenfarclas experimented with switching to steam heating, concluding this method produced a weaker and blander new make spirit. Glenfarclas retains direct heating for quality reasons, a rich distillate better responds to the tannic structure and rich fruits of an ex-sherry cask maturation. Renowned for its traditional full-bodied and rich sherried style, Glenfarclas uses a combination of first-fill and refill ex-Oloroso sherry casks for maturation. All Glenfarclas’ cask wood is sourced from Jerez-based Spanish cooper, José y Miguel Martin, who produces a selection of butts and hogsheads made from European oak, in a business relationship lasting over 25 years.
In 1986, Glenfarclas celebrated the 150th anniversary of legal distilling at the distillery. After working alongside the Glenfarclas Distillery from the 1790s, the Recherlich Farm ceased operating in 1988. Following 52 years as Glenfarclas company chairman, George S. Grant passed away in 2002, and was succeeded by his son John L.S. Grant.
A Well-Aged Range
Over the years, Glenfarclas has released an increasing number of older and well-aged bottlings, now offering a range of single malt expressions and limited-edition releases varying from 10 to 60 years old. George S. Grant’s decision to lay down more stock for distillery bottlings, a practice which even continued during the 1980s Whisky Loch downturn, has resulted in Glenfarclas having more significant volumes of aged stock than most distilleries – evidenced by the onsite warehousing facilities; 28 warehouses hold approximately 52,000 casks.
Commemorating the bi-centenary of John Grant’s birth, a Glenfarclas 50 Year Old was released in 2005. In March 2006, Glenfarclas was named ‘Distiller of the Year’ by Whisky Magazine, receiving the award “for being consistently good and staying true to its core values”. Glenfarclas’ depth of aged stock was revealed in 2007, with the launch of the Family Casks range, a series of single cask bottlings originally from 43 consecutive years between 1952 and 1994; the Family Casks series vintages now range from 1954 to 2010.
Celebrating the 175th anniversary of Glenfarclas’ founding in January 2011, a commemorative bottling was launched which vatted whisky from the oldest available 1952 stocks, with casks of spirit distilled in each of the successive five decades.
In June 2015, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Grant family’s ownership of the Glenfarclas distillery, the £511.19s.0d. Family Reserve was released. The £511.19s.0d. Family Reserve’s cryptic name referenced the price John Grant paid for Glenfarclas in 1865, with the bottling including a replica of the original bill of sale. One of the most spectacular limited releases, the Glenfarclas Family Trunk was released in 2018, a collection containing 50 200ml bottles of the Family Cask collection ranging back to 1954. Presented in a leather truck resembling traditional shipping luggage, a number of 60 Glenfarclas Family Trunks were produced, and originally available at a price of £100,000.
In 2020, the Spirit of Speyside festival celebrating the whiskies of the Speyside region was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, Glenfarclas still released the distillery’s Spirit of Speyside festival edition bottling, ‘The Stillman’s Dram’. Each year, different members of the Glenfarclas distillery team select a whisky for the festival; in 2020, the choice went to the still men. In recognition of the impact and difficulties of the pandemic, a percentage of sales from ‘The Stillman’s Dram’ were donated to the Moray Food Plus foodbank.
Since 2020, Glenfarclas Distillery has continued its legacy as a family-owned producer of exceptional single malts. Known for its sherry-cask maturation, the distillery has released notable expressions, including limited editions celebrating its history. Embracing tradition while modernizing operations, Glenfarclas remains a benchmark for rich, robust whiskies with a loyal global following.
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