A trip to Scotland isn’t really a fruitful trip if you haven’t been to a true blue Scottish distillery. The problem with Scottish distilleries is that they are in amazing though remote locations usually far away from major cities. Glengoyne is a welcome exception as it’s fairly near Glasgow (has easy connectivity) and it boasts of its own wooded lands and a loch/waterfall creating a magical atmosphere.
This 1820 born and 1833 launched distillery boasts of fascinating history and attracts thousands of visitors. There are sheep farms and the Trossachs National Park nearby so the setting is beautiful and you can make the Glengoyne day trip into a full day’s agenda. The Distillery was formally incorporated in 1833 though its chequered history stretches back to a decade older.
The carefully curated and meticulously planned bundle of tours offered by Glengoyne sets it apart…the Whiskey tasting and tour experiences here are more like pilgrimages to the spirit. Whiskey connoisseurs say that Glengoyne has a character of its own…. the primary flavours are malt, clove, apple and toffee, though the ageing period and the mixes bring out different flavours in their speciality bottles.
History
Close to the Campsie Hills and near the Loch Lomond there was an idyllic small farm named Burnfoot owned by a guy called George Connell. Back in 1820, George Connell (the original creator of the Glengoyne brand) didn’t have a license (Scottish whiskey makers were heavily taxed by the English government) so he furtively began distilling whiskey in the beautiful Burnfoot Farm. The farm has a luscious waterfall and a lovely wooded land and George was able to hide his small distillery from everyone’s eyes.
The art of whiskey distillation was nothing new to him…he had learnt the ropes well at his grandfather’s feet. It was 1833 before George got his license to distil whiskey at Burnfoot Glenguin and it was in 1836 when the lease to the land and water of Burnfoot Glenguin was taken by George. Around 1870 imported sherry casks were regularly used to mature whiskey and the spirits got a layered softened flavour that instantly caught the attention of the market. Back then it was economical to do so….now it’s the most expensive and sought after way to mature whiskey. The taste of Glengoyne has remained the same all through the years
And it was only in 1907 after the distillery gained immense popularity that it formally got named Glengoyne Distillery. George Connell used to support local sustainability and used local fuel instead of importing peat as was done popularly back then. In 1977, Duncan McNicol a former butcher joined the group as a Head Stillman and he is still around today. In 2003 Ian MacLeod Distillers Ltd bought Glengoyne Distillery and the Glengoyne Single Malt from the Edrington Group….the MacLeod Distillers were a family-owned group who maintained every inch of those legendary Glengoyne traditions.
A vast increase in production and an exponential rise in sales were seen and in 2004 the production hit 1 million litres. In 2004 the MacLeod Distillers anchored an erstwhile Pirate ship Taora at the Port Ellen for Islay Whiskey festival and their whiskey blends came out as shining heroes that were the cause of much bonhomie and joy. Now the Glengoyne group has 8 warehouses with a total capacity of 2 million litres.
The 17-year-old Single Malt of Glengoyne went on to win a double gold award at the San Francisco World Spirits competition and 15-year-old Scottish oak wood Malt went on to win the ‘top wood finish’ award at Stockholm Beer & Whiskey Festival. Whiskey magazine voted Glengoyne to be the world’s best Single Highland Malt in the whiskey tasting competition titled ‘best of the best’. Glengoyne bottles are exported to the UK, USA, France, Germany and Scandinavia.
The Glengoyne was always ecologically conscious and they spent time and resources planting 14,500 plants from a variety of species into the wetlands. These plants converted the spent muddy water from alcohol distillation into clear usable water and supplied the whole area with fresh oxygen and fragrant wild blooms.
In 2014 the Glengoyne got a massive makeover…the old barley kiln was converted into a warehouse that had a full display of oak casks. The warehouse had very thick walls, a hard stone floor and a roof shaped like a pagoda…and presented an ideal environment for spirit maturation.
Glengoyne whiskey uses Barley that has been air-dried and not peat dried like the majority of the other brands. Once dried and ground, the soft pure water from Loch Carron is mixed with it and the liquid is piped into the wooden Washbacks that are made from Oregon pine. After fermentation and usually a 50 hour standing period the liquid wash is distilled to produce the base spirit…these are matured in the imported oak casks and go on to become the famed Glengoyne Single Malts.
The age-old fermentation barrels, maturation casks and conventional stills are still used and the famous customised sherry oak casks (imported from the USA and Spain) are still used though there are lots of more affordable options in the market. Some of the casks are even seasoned with sherry in Spain before they are exported to Scotland. For the record, Southern Highlands has a mild climate and that results in a clearer, amber coloured lighter flavour that’s different from the stronger malts of North Highland and pungent malts of Islay.
The Head Stillman here has been with Glengoyne since 1977 (Duncan MacNicol) and he ensures that each bottle of whiskey maintains a uniform taste. In 2019 Glengoyne Distillery won the first prize for environmental best practices i.e. the Master’s medal in the category Green Initiatives (The Spirits Business Distillery Masters 2019). The Distillery partners with the Wetlands and Wildfowl Trust and has recently invested 170,000 pounds in creating a wetlands facility that strengthens its water disposal practices.
What to See and Do
Tours
The Glengoyne offers unmatched variety when it comes to tours. Most people come to Glengoyne to participate in their legendary whiskey tours and go away irrevocably in love with the place. Most of the Glengoyne staff has been around for decades and they are very friendly and informative.
The basic Glengoyne tour is priced at 11.50 pounds per person and lasts for 45 minutes. There is a 12-year-old Glengoyne tasting near the famous waterfall location and then a tour of the distillery and whole distillation process till the maturation and ageing. The Wee Tasting tour is 14.50 pounds per person and lasts for about an hour…it’s similar to the basic Glengoyne tour but there is also a tasting of the Glengoyne 18-year-Old at the end.
The Gold Medal Parade tour of 1.5 hours is targeted towards whiskey lovers who won’t mind paying the 30 pounds per person tour price. The tour starts off with a 12-year-old Glengoyne tasting and then a distillery-warehouse tour but then there is the Glengoyne Gold parade i.e. a tasting session of 3 whiskies that have won spirit industry Oscars (prizes at International wine and spirit competition and San Francisco World Spirits Competition ).
There are tastings of Glengoyne 18-year-old, Glengoyne 21-year-old and a Glengoyne Cask Strength. Incidentally, Cask strength whiskey means that the whiskey is straightaway bottled after it’s poured out of the cask… alcohol percentage is about 58.7% so this is guaranteed to get you drunk!! Takers for this tour also get a Glengoyne glass as a keepsake.
The Whiskey and Chocolate Tour is also 1.5-hour long and costs 30 pounds per person but you get to taste the deadly addictive combination of chocolate and alcohol. Two strains of whiskies…a Glengoyne 18-year-old and a Glengoyne 21-year-old are matched with 4 chocolate flavours…curated by a celebrity Highland Chocolatier Iain Burnett.
The one hour 45 minute Glengoyne Malt Master Tour is priced at 75 pounds but you get to create your own strain of single malt in the Sample room… an experience unavailable elsewhere in most of Scotland. The distillery guides share all their knowledge and experience with the visitors and they are exposed to 5 different Glengoyne single casks. After tasting each of them the visitor plays the role of a Malt master and mixes the contents of the casks to create a unique flavour of a single mask that’s poured (in a 200 ml bottle) capped and labelled with the unique recipe before being presented as a keepsake.
The No. 1 Warehouse tour is 1 hour 45 minutes long and costs 85 pounds per person and is more about tasting than creation. Visitors get to dip two casks inside bourbon barrel and sherry cask in the legendary Warehouse 1. The dipping cask is known as a dug i.e. a traditional whiskey sampler. Afterwards, it’s a visit to the sampler room to taste and swirl the contents of the cask and then pouring your favourite strain in Glengoyne bottle with a signature print…a limited release highland single malt you can take home!!!
The Master class tour is an exhaustive 5-hour tour that’s priced at 155 pounds per person and will majorly appeal to whiskey connoisseurs. The history of spirit making, the nuances of Glengoyne distillery, an exhaustive tour of the grounds and all the warehouses are a part of the tour. But the real jewel is the 20 bottle scent inhalation test….developed by the Scottish whiskey association to induct new master blenders.
The bottles all hold unique scents from chocolate to lavender to pears to floral strains…test and let your nose train for the job of a blender. Afterwards, there are tastings of many strains (12-year-old, 18-year-old, single casks and Sherries).
And then there is the creation of your own version of Glengoyne single malt… samplings from five different casks and then mix and match to create your unique bottle. A 200 ml bottle of the created strain in a Glengoyne special bottle, a master class certificate and a special gift awaits all those who complete the Master class tour…probably the most exhaustive whiskey experience in the world.
For the advanced tours i.e. the Malt Master, No. I Warehouse and the Masterclass tours…you need to make an advance booking by calling +44 (0)1360 550254 or emailing [email protected]. The Glengoyne tours are very considerate….for example if you don’t want to consume all the tastings offered to you right away then the guide will fill up cute little jars with them and you can take these home.
Anyone with accessibility issues can take the flat tour that avoids all forms of stair climbing. All the tours have an interesting short video at the beginning of the tour and this narrates the history of the place. Every tour begins with a tasting of a Glengoyne 10-year-Old. The distillery guides are super friendly, obliging and some even wear the traditional Scottish dress….nice to watch.
Booking in advance is essential for groups of 8 or more and also for the advanced tours. Tours are free for teens under 18 years and kids. Don’t miss taking a photo with the Still master Duncan McNicoll while you are here…he is almost as big a legend as the Distillery itself.
Private Dining Experiences
The Glengoyne creates private dining experiences that are a collaborative piece of work between the official nosing Panel and Chef Justin. Sample exquisite pairs like herb-roasted Loin of Lamb with 18-year-old Glengoyne and Dark chocolate Delight with 21-year-old Glengoyne. For the record, their in-house chef Justin Maule who has 30 years of experience and he has cooked in Savoy London as well as some of the best restaurants in Scotland. Besides full-fledged dinners and lunches, there are whiskey tasting sessions with curated savoury platters.
Shopping
There is a dedicated store stocking all varieties of Glengoyne spirits right from the Glengoyne Legacy series to the Highland Single Malts. The cheapest is the Glengoyne 10-year-old small bottle that’s priced around 16 pounds while the 18-year-Old Small bottle is priced at 31 pounds and the 21-year-old is priced at 45 pounds. The Sherry matured bottles and the Cask Strength series are priced between 50 pounds to 65 pounds each.
You can even choose a bottle and get the staff to adorn it with a personalised label…these make for nice gifts, surprises and keepsakes. There is a separate section stocking some kinds of collectables like Glengoyne Fudge Box, Glengoyne Fudge Tin and Silver Plated Key Chains and rather cute looking golf umbrellas.
Hiking and Exploring
Once you are done touring Glengoyne you can try your hand at hiking Dumgoyne. There is a pretty little trail that leads up to Dumgoyne and Earl’s Seat… though it’s a steep hike. You will probably pass lots of sheep and lambs during your hike….after all there are sheep farms nearby. There is also a woodland trail that’s longer but perfect if you want to spot lots of birds including bluebells.
It’s a good idea to pack a light lunch and have it at the waterfall behind the distillery once you are done with your hike. While the walk is only about 2.5 miles the Dumgoyne slopes are steep and walkers would do well to ascend (and descend slowly) and soak in the lovely views. At the peak of the hill, you will be able to soak in the lovely vista of the Campsie Hills (east), Menteith Hills (north), Highland Boundary Fault and Loch Lomond. Glasgow spreads in a colourful cornucopia towards the south when viewed from the summit.
Exploring the Trossachs National Park is also a great idea… the Loch Lomond (biggest inland water area in Great Britain) and Trossachs National Park was Scotland’s first National Park. There are 21 mountain peaks, 2 forest areas, 22 lochs and more than 50 nature conservation sites inside. This is the best destination for a day trip in the lap of nature if you are thinking of an interesting option from Glasgow.
Activities you could do in the National Park are hiking, climbing, cycling, and fishing tour, canoeing, boating and exploring wildlife in the adventure parks. You can even have a campfire experience or decide to stay in a cosy cabin overnight. Small towns and villages like the Callander, Carrick Castle, Luss, and Killin etc. are scattered through the Loch Lomond area and many may like to explore them after the distillery tour.
There are not too many fancy restaurants around and the best value for money restaurant in this area is the Beech Tree Inn that’s a simple British / Scottish pub with kids play area and a beer garden. There are small Shetland ponies, goats and rabbits inside to keep the kids fascinated while the adults dig into steak pie, haddock, haggis fritters, fish pot, liver and onions and stuff. One of the more unusual dishes found here is prawn and pineapples which comes in a half pineapple shell. Then there is ‘Turnip the Beet’ on Killearn Mill that’s about 2 km from the distillery…it serves up some great curries and Indian bread.
Open Hours, Tours & Tickets
The Glengoyne distillery is Open 7 days a week and all days of the year barring some national holidays. From March to October, the tours run from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tours run every hour from 10:00 a.m. to the last tour at 5.00 p.m. From November to February the tours run from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tours run every hour from 10:00 a.m. to the last tour at 4.00 p.m.
You can find several great tours of Glengoyne Distillery (including combination tours) and book online from this Viator site.
Location & Contacts
Glengoyne Distillery is in the cradle of Dumgoyne Hill that’s about 14 miles north of Glasgow and you can get excellent mountain views of Loch Lomond from here. A pleasant 40-minute ride from Glasgow (follow A81 in the direction of Aberfoyle and North) and it will take you to the distillery and there are local buses (Bus number 10 from Buchanan Bus Station) which will take you right to the door of the distillery. A little north to the distillery there is a lay by where you can park your car.
Glengoyne Distillery, Dumgoyne, near Killearn, Glasgow, G63 9LB
Phone: +44 (0)1360 550 254; Email: [email protected]; Website
A travel addict. Still celebrating the day when he quit his high-profile corporate job to pursue his passion for travel writing.