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.

A Glenmorangie 12 year old matured in American oak casks and finished in Madeira casks. This is an American import from Brown Forman Beverages, easily identifiable by the age statement not found in versions for the European market. A pioneer of original finishes, Glenmorangie launched the range in the 1990s with sherry and madeira finishes, followed by other versions, such as the port, Tain l’’Hermitage, Margaux and Côte de Nuits casks.