As alcohol distillation was illegal at the time, The Glenlivet founder George Smith learned his craft tucked away in the remote and isolated Livet Valley. Hidden from soldiers and customs officers, George used the abundant springs to slowly make the soon to be famous Glenlivet Whisky. In August 1822, King George IV arrived in Scotland for a state visit and asked to try a drop of the infamous Glenlivet whisky despite being illegal and he loved it.
Two years later, after a change in legislation George secured his licence to become the first legal distiller in the parish of Glenlivet. This sparked outrage in the other illicit distillers who assured him that he and his distillery would burn. In order to protect himself, George carried a pair of flintlock pistols with him at all times assuring the smugglers he wasn’t afraid to use them. This is the spirit embodied in The Glenlivet today.
By the late ‘30’s, The Glenlivet distillery was producing more than 200 gallons of whisky a week and the rapid expansion saw the addition of Edinburgh’s Andrew Ushers & Sons as sales agents, helping spread the word. In 1852, Charles Dickens wrote a friend in London urging him to try the THE whisky - a “rare old Glenlivet”, a single malt that went beyond his expectations.
When founder George Smith passed on November 27th, 1871, his son John Gordon Smith who was training in law at the time took over the reins of the whisky business. With other competitors looking to use the name ‘Glenlivet’ themselves, John secured the use of the term ‘THE’ Glenlivet in 1884, ensuring they were the one and only.
In 1921, there were many challenges facing the distillery. Having just taken over the distillery from his great uncle, Captain Bill Smith Grant, a decorated World War One veteran needed to face down the Great Depression and prohibition in the USA (one of their prime markets). Thanks to his perseverance throughout these periods, when prohibition was repealed in 1933, The Glenlivet had enough stock to meet the increased demand while also supplying companies such as the Pullman Train Company who began serving miniature bottles of Whisky on their routes. By 1950 The Glenlivet accounted for half of the Scottish malt whisky served in the US. The Glenlivet is still one of the most popular whiskies worldwide and as Captain Bill Smith Grant said, “If Glenlivet can’t make good whisky, then we shouldn’t make any whisky”. We’ll raise a glass to that.
Expert crafting, barley, water and yeast all combine to create THE Whisky of Speyside. The Glenlivet.
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