Glenesk was built in 1897 under the name Highland Esk by James Isles, a wine merchant from Dundee. After changing owners on several occasions and changing its name just as frequently (North Esk), Glenesk closed during WWI when the distillery’s buildings were damaged. Only the malting floors reopened in 1919 and it would not be until 1938 that the distillery would begin producing again after it was bought by Associated Scottish Distilleries, with Joseph Hobbs at its helm, who decided to turn it into the Montrose grain distillery. Production once again ceased and the distillery was bought by Distillers Company Limited (DCL) in 1953. In response to growing demand, DCL began production of a malt whisky in 1964, renaming the distillery Hillside, before a final name change in the 1980s (Glenesk) and its closure in 1985. Glenesk does, however, continue its malting activities.

A Glenesk 12 Year Old imported to France in the 1980s by GECO, who were also the importer for Laphroaig at the time. The whisky was bottled by Wm. Sanderson, one of Distillers Company Limited’’s many subsidiaries, who had held the bottling license for Glenesk since 1980, also using it in its blend VAT 69. This set-up ended in 1985 when the distillery closed.