The first step in making our smooth Scotch whisky is malting. Barley is soaked in water, a process also known as steeping, to wake up the dormant grain. Over a couple of days, the barley is submerged, drained, and allowed to rest in the air. After soaking, the barley is spread out to dry and allow germination to continue. It’s at this point that starch from the barley begins converting into sugar. Then comes drying. The barley, which after germination is known as green malt, is transferred to a kiln. This stops germination which would otherwise use all the seeds’ starch reserves for growing.

The malted barley is ground into a coarse flour and mixed with hot water to convert starches into fermentable sugars. The water we use comes from the crystal clear, mineral rich water of Josie’s Well which is still standing today. Any spent grains can be used as cattle feed for local farmers.

The slow approach we take to churning the grist in mashing gives us clear wort, leading us to the next stage. During fermentation, yeast is added to the wort to convert the sugars into alcohol through an anaerobic process. This creates a wash, which is a beer-like substance with multi-faceted fruity and floral flavours. Read more

To create our signature Scotch, we distil the liquid twice in our copper stills. The first distillation defines the character, while the second refines it. Our lantern stills are incredibly tall and capture only the lightest alcohol vapours during distillation which contributes to our light but complex flavour profile. This makes our whiskies perfect for connoisseurs and newcomers alike. Read more

All of our whiskies are aged for a minimum of three years, although our most famous expression is aged for at least 12. At The Glenlivet, we strive to move things forward and set new standards in the single malt category, boldly exploring unique casks finishes and innovative ways to deliver new single malt taste experiences.