Glen Keith Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Glen Keith single malt Scotch whisky is a modern Speyside distillery with a reputation for producing a clean, fruity spirit that’s both approachable and versatile. Founded in 1957 by Chivas Brothers, Glen Keith was built on the site of a former mill on the banks of the River Isla, just outside the whisky town of Keith in Moray. While many Scottish distilleries boast 19th-century origins, Glen Keith was very much a product of the post-war whisky boom, designed to supply malt for premium blends such as Chivas Regal and Passport.

From its earliest days, Glen Keith was a testbed for innovation. It was the first distillery in Scotland to fully switch from coal to gas-fired stills, and throughout the 1960s and 1970s it was used for experimental production runs, including trials with triple distillation and different yeast strains. These experiments allowed Chivas Brothers to refine techniques that would later be adopted at other distilleries in their portfolio.

The distillery’s water source comes from springs in the nearby Balloch Hill, providing soft, pure water that contributes to the spirit’s smoothness. Glen Keith uses long fermentation times to develop fruity esters, and distillation in copper pot stills with relatively tall necks ensures a light, elegant spirit.

For decades, almost all of Glen Keith’s output went into blends, with official single malt bottlings being rare. However, a small number of distillery expressions did appear, most notably the Glen Keith 10 Year Old, which offered a gentle Speyside style with notes of orchard fruit, vanilla, and honey. Independent bottlers such as Signatory Vintage, Gordon & MacPhail, and Douglas Laing have also released a range of single cask Glen Keith bottlings, often highlighting the distillery’s fruit-forward profile in bourbon or sherry cask maturations.

The distillery was mothballed in 1999 during a period of oversupply in the whisky industry, but after extensive refurbishment, it reopened in 2013 with upgraded equipment designed for energy efficiency and quality control. Since then, Glen Keith has resumed its primary role as a blending malt, though official single malt releases have begun to reappear, including travel retail exclusives and limited editions.

In style, Glen Keith is typically light to medium-bodied, with aromas of fresh apple, pear, and floral meadow, complemented by soft vanilla, malt sweetness, and a touch of citrus zest. Bourbon cask maturation enhances the clean, fruity spirit, while sherry cask ageing can add richer layers of dried fruit, caramel, and gentle spice. Older independent bottlings often display tropical fruit notes, a hallmark of well-aged Speyside malts.

Our Glen Keith Single Malt Scotch Whisky range showcases the distillery’s gentle, fruit-driven character through both official and independent bottlings. Whether you’re seeking an easy-drinking everyday Speyside malt, a collectible single cask, or a rare older vintage, Glen Keith offers an elegant, modern take on the region’s whisky-making tradition, with a history of experimentation that continues to shape its spirit today.