The remote and isolated Livet valley made it ideal for illicit distillation. This is where our founder George Smith learned his craft. Hidden away from the Customs Officers and soldiers amongst the hills and abundant springs, George had time to distil slowly making a whisky that would soon become world renowned.

The remote and isolated Livet valley made it ideal for illicit distillation. This is where our founder George Smith learned his craft. Hidden away from the Customs Officers and soldiers amongst the hills and abundant springs, George had time to distil slowly making a whisky that would soon become world renowned.

Two years later and after a change in legislation, George saw his window of opportunity and rode to Elgin to get his licence to become the first legal distiller in the parish of Glenlivet. This didn’t go down well with the illicit distillers around him and he was told he would burn along with his distillery. In a bid to protect himself from these sinister smugglers, he carried a pair of flintlock pistols with him at all times, making it clear he wasn’t afraid to use them. His courage set the foundation for our whisky today.

By the late ‘30’s, The Glenlivet distillery was producing more than 200 gallons a week. This expansion meant our founder would soon need more employees. A few years later, Andrew Ushers & Sons of Edinburgh joined as sales agents, helping spread the word of the whisky.

Our reputation spread beyond the green hills of Scotland to the Smoky skies of London. When Charles Dickens wrote to his friend urging him to try the “rare old Glenlivet”, he was recommending a single malt that went beyond his great expectations.

With the passing of George Smith on November 27, the job of continuing his life’s work fell to his youngest son, John Gordon Smith. He had been away training for a career in law but on the death of his father, he returned to pick up the reins of the business.

With other competitors desperate to take the name ‘Glenlivet’ for themselves to capitalize on our notoriety, John found the solution in a small but powerful three-letter word. He fought hard for the rights and in 1884 we became the one and only The Glenlivet.

As Prohibition came to an end, Americans came forward; thirstier than ever for fine Single Malts. Thanks to Captain Bill’s perseverance through the depression, we were in the perfect place to serve them a dram. One of our first major customers was the Pullman Train Company, who began serving miniature bottles on their routes, helping to spread our fine whisky across the continent.

Almost 200 years since our distillery opened, we crafted something new to celebrate: The Glenlivet Founders Reserve. Created by Master Distiller Alan Winchester, this fine liquid captures the distinct smooth and fruity taste that George Smith first envisioned in 1824 and now the 5th biggest Single Malt product globally by sales volume (IWSR 2003).

In 2022, we unveiled our sample room collection, comprising 18, 21 and 25-year-old expressions that capture The Glenlivet’s heritage while making bounds with new flavours. We also opened the doors to our creative epicentre with an augmented reality experience, allowing everyone to explore The Sample Room from their phones.

2024 marked a milestone year for The Glenlivet. We celebrated 200 years since our distillery became licensed all the way back in 1824. We released our oldest expression to date. The 55-Year-Old is the first edition of 100 exclusive bottles from The Glenlivet Eternal Collection. Created in collaboration with computational architect Michael Hansmeyer, each spherical decanter is accompanied by a sculpture that pays homage to the Spey Valley, which has been our home for two centuries.

The Glenlivet SPIRA 60 Year Old 1965 was auctioned for a final price of £650,000 / $871,358*, setting a new auction record for a bottle of The Glenlivet after a ten-minute bidding battle at the Distillers One of One Auction in partnership with Sotheby’s.

To this day we continue George Smith’s vision to break traditions, set new standards and move things forward; selecting exceptional unique casks, finishes and liquids and delivering unique serves and cocktails to open up the world of single malt to all.