Glen Keith Distillery, Speyside

Glen Keith (a.k.a. Glenkeith), was established on the site of a corn mill in 1957 by Chivas Brothers, who also owned the existing Strathisla distillery nearby. It was the first new malt distillery to have been founded in Scotland since a previous boom in late Victorian times. Glen Keith originally had three stills; the distillery was designed in order to produce a triple distilled single malt - very unusual for a Speyside distillery. The number of stills was increased to 5 in 1970 when they permanently switched to double distillation. Glen Keith had the first gas-fired still in Scotland and pioneered the use of computers in the industry. Its official single malt was first released in 1994. Like several malts from this district, it has a suggestion of fresh wood. The distillery belongs to Chivas (Pernod Ricard) and it is operational. The style of Glen Keith is understated, mellow, gently fruity with nuances of peat and caramel overtones.