The distillery was founded in 1843 by William and Anne Matheson, who converted a former brewery into a whisky distillery in this remote part of Scotland. The name Glenmorangie comes from Gaelic and means valley of tranquillity. Throughout the 20th century, the distillery proved pioneering in many respects, skilfully balancing tradition and innovation. It began selling single malts as early as the 1920s, exporting its bottlings worldwide, expanded production even during the downturn of the 1980s, and launched dedicated research programmes into oak maturation – notably for its Wood Finishes range. In 2004, after more than 80 years at the helm, the Macdonald family sold a majority stake in Glenmorangie PLC (52%) to the global luxury group LVMH.
Today, the celebrated ‘Men of Tain’ continue to craft the house style, distilling in Scotland’s tallest stills (5.14 metres high) before maturing the spirit in oak barrels.
In 2022, Edward Thom was named Global Distillery Manager of the Year at the prestigious Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky Awards.

Glenmorangie Tùsail was launched in 2015. It is the sixth edition of the Private Edition range, made with Maris Otter barley, a variety created in 1965 that produces an excellent malt, which was floor malted by hand for this edition. Despite falling out of fashion in favour of varieties with a higher yield, Maris Otter continues to hold a special place in the hearts of fans of old whiskies. The renewed interest in traditional methods has seen the return of older barley varieties—albeit on the margins of the industry.