The Singleton Glen Ord Distillery
Explore Glen Ord, a distillery steeped in history since 1838 and home of The Singleton's finest Single Malt Scotch Whiskies.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
HISTORY & HERITAGE
One of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, Glen Ord has a rich, detailed history. Founded on the Black Isle in the Scottish Highlands, it sits on a stretch of land that had been in the possession of Clan Mackenzie for nearly 700 years when Thomas Mackenzie built the distillery in 1838. It is from this famous Scottish clan that the distillery adopts its motto, Luceo non uro, which means “I shine not burn” – and it continues to be inspired by this today with an emphasis on slow batched distillation.
THE RICH ONE
Glen Ord’s locality allows it to draw on the purest water nature has to offer, aptly described as “water from the heavens and earth”. This exclusive twin water source combines soft Highland rainwater accumulated high in the Scottish mountains, with water from the heart of an ancient artesian spring. Glen Ord is also one of a handful of distilleries that still malts it barley on site. The next step is a long fermentation process before the liquid is slowly distilled and left to mature in predominantly rare European oak ex Sherry casks. The rich and complex whiskies are finished to perfection by the masterful Maureen Robinson, one of the most experienced blenders in the industry.
Glen Ord is the super deluxe offering within The Singleton family. You’ll find it in top bars and off-trade outlets across Asia. It’s the #1 brand in Taiwan (the 2nd largest Single Malt market in the world) and the fastest growing Single Malt in Asia.
Glen Ord offers a range of Aged and Non-Age Declared Malts that emphasise the portfolio’s rich character.
THE GLEN ORD DIFFERENCE
Fermentation: The longer the fermentation, the fruitier, richer and more delicate the wash that goes into the still house. The fermentation at Glen Ord is one of the longest in the industry, clocking in at an average of 85-90 hours. We’ve even recorded an ultra-long fermentation of 140 hours!
Distillation: In order to create a rich, fruity and smooth flavour, the spirit is distilled very gently. By running the stills at a much lower temperature compared to many other distilleries, we encourage a longer distillation to extract more impurities from the spirit.
After passing through the still, the vapour is directed into a condenser, maintained at a higher temperature to allow for more contact with the copper. The spirit is put through this process twice before being left to age in fine oak casks. This long fermentation and slow, delicate distillation is what gives The Singleton Glen Ord its rich, fruity, smooth and easy drinking character.
THE SINGLETON GLEN ORD PORTFOLIO
There are five expressions within the Glen Ord portfolio, these are:
The Singleton Glen Ord 12 YEAR OLD
Berry fruit aromas, a creamy warming finish.
The Singleton Glen Ord 15 YEAR OLD
Soft citrus aroma, rich ginger and chocolate tastes, followed by a mellow finish.
The Singleton Glen Ord 18 YEAR OLD
Walnut aromas, rich fruity taste and a sweet chocolate finish.
The Singleton Glen Ord SIGNATURE
Fresh citrus aromas, a rich dried fruits taste and a nutty, smooth finish.
The Singleton Glen Ord SIGNATURE SHERRY
Fresh and stewed apple, followed by creamy toffee, dried fruit and wood, then cinnamon and cloves with citrus hints.
You can discover more about The Singleton and explore the rich history and single malts from its other Glendullan and Dufftown Distilleries.