In October 2017, Billy Walker, Trisha Savage and Graham Stevenson came together to purchase the GlenAllachie Distillery. Before acquiring GlenAllachie, the spirit was predominantly used in blended whiskies. So it’s no surprise that you probably haven’t heard of us. We’re here to introduce GlenAllachie into the world as the exceptional single malt we have come to love. Were just getting started…

GlenAllachie derives from the Gaelic, Gleann Aileachaidh meaning ‘Valley of the Rocks’. The geology surrounding the distillery is dominated by Celtic runes and Pictish stones, and is the reason for the craftsmanship behind our unique branding. The GlenAllachie logo was skillfully designed and chiseled into stone by a local letter sculptor. We wanted to create something eye-catching, rare and true to the roots surrounding GlenAllachie. We’re on a journey to make truly great spirits, why don’t you join us?

1967: The GlenAllachie Distillery was the fourth distillery designed by William-Delme Evans and built by MacKinley McPherson (distilling arm of Scottish and Newcastle). It was designed to be almost full gravity fed to run on reduced energy.

1968: In February 1968, the distillery began its first production run with the capacity of producing almost three million litres of alcohol. Operations began with two stills and increased to four after just six months.

1985: MacKinley McPherson became part of Invergordon and the distillery was mothballed in this year.

1989: Campbell Distillers (later part of Pernod Ricard) acquired The GlenAllachie Distillery and production recommenced on April 24th – this was the start of 29 years of uninterrupted production. The Distillery was branded as the Home of Clan Campbell Whisky. Apparently the inventory of the Distillery listed the ducks in the waters above the dam.

2005: Chivas Brothers launched a Glenallachie single malt whisky as part of the Cask Edition Series. It was a 15 year old whisky from sherry casks distilled in 1989 when the distillery was bought and reopened by Pernod Ricard.

2018: In February this year, six single casks were handpicked by Master Distiller Billy Walker to celebrate 50 years since the first date of production in February 1968.

In July this year, our first core range of single malt whiskies were released to the world. The range features a 10, 12, 18 and 25 years old, all natural colour, non-chill-filtered and bottled at a minimum of 46% ABV.

After much anticipation, we launched MacNair’s Lum Reek; our blended malt Scotch whisky. A combination of peated Islay and Speyside malts married together with older GlenAllachie. The whisky is then filled to cask for further maturation at GlenAllachie Distillery before the final blending by Master Distiller, Billy Walker.

MacNair's Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

THE STORY: Ne’er happier than when exploring the globe or the spirit from the golden still, Harvey McNair was – in the parlance of his native Glasgow – a man or ‘lad o’pairts’: a true Victorian entrepreneur. A trader, thereby a traveler, an inventor of all sorts of mechanical contraptions, his genius lay in the blending of fine whiskies. He loved and championed the natural, unadulterated colour of whisky. “Pure gold’ he said with a wink.

AFFINITY: Bon viveur and raconteur, he cut a dash about town and had a bursting social calendar. His best stories were always ‘agin hisself’, like how his neighbors thought him an alchemist or, indeed, how he discovered Lum Reek. But he knew a good dram when he blended it, or indeed stumbled across it. Just like our own 21st Century Whisky legend Billy Walker, who has recreated and refined the Lum Reek blend for the modern palette.

SERENDIPITY: One autumn evening in the 1860s, after a day’s fishing, our man was quaffing a dram in the old stone bothy near GlenAllachie. Due to a blocked chimney (or lum) the room filled with smoke. It had “a marvelous effect on the whisky in my glass,” confided McNair later to his merchant cronies. “Indeed, perfection!” Ne’er a truer word was spoken.

LUM REEK: Today’s Lum Reek is the creation of our Master Blender Billy Walker, raising his hat to the top hatted Victorian. It’s a heavily peated malt, marrying Islay & Speyside whiskies with rich GlenAllachie, to extend the flavor profile. Lum Reek is matured in GlenAllachie’s warehouses, then bottled at 46% (and above), unchilfiltered, allowing its natural colour to shine like those golden autumns Harvey MacNair enjoyed, decked out in his waders.

WHAT IS BLENDED PEATED MALT?
A blend of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, which have been distilled at more than one distillery. Blending is an opportunity to be truly creative.

While respecting all the great blenders of the past it is key for us to experiment and push boundaries (as Harvey did), always striving to make the best whisky we can.

SOURCE THE BEST WOOD: Up to 70% of the flavour in Scotch whisky can come from the wood that the spirit matures in. Great wood is essential to make great whisky.

Like Harvey MacNair, we have searched far and wide in our pursuit of quality. We acquire only the best casks from around the world. Currently we are using bourbon barrels, virgin oak hogsheads, ex red wine casks, PX sherry puncheons and Oloroso sherry butts.