Glen Grant
Full Speyside food & drink guide — distilleries, restaurants, where to stay, when to go.
Our sister site TripSCOT covers the visit side — opening hours, getting there, family-friendly notes. We cover the whisky.
An enormous Speyside distillery with a famously beautiful Victorian garden, Glen Grant is the best-selling single malt in Italy and produces notably light, clean, apple-and-pear spirit thanks to its tall stills and purifiers.
Glen Grant is a paradox — Italy's best-selling single malt whisky, the distillery with the most beautiful Victorian gardens in Speyside, and one of the most underappreciated drams in Scotland. The spirit is characteristically light and clean: fresh apple, pear, and a hint of vanilla. The garden tour is genuinely worth doing for the grounds alone. The 10 Year Old is excellent value; the 18 is outstanding.
Visiting Glen Grant
Contact distillery
Rothes, Moray
AB38 7BS
- Shop
- Café/Restaurant
- Parking
Core range
10 Year Old
40% ABV · American oak ex-bourbon
Light, dry, malt-driven Speyside. Tall stills and purifiers produce one of the cleanest, most almond-driven spirits in the region — closer in style to Lowland malts than its neighbours.
- Nose:
- Citrus, soft vanilla, almond, faint floral note.
- Palate:
- Light and dry — green apple, almond, gentle oak.
- Finish:
- Short to medium, clean, slightly nutty.
12 Year Old
43% ABV · American oak + first-fill sherry
Drier than most sherried Speysides — the spirit's leanness shows through the cask influence rather than being smothered by it.
- Nose:
- Vanilla, almond, citrus, soft oak.
- Palate:
- Cleaner sherry style — almond, soft oak, gentle fruit.
- Finish:
- Medium, dry, faint oak spice.
18 Year Old
43% ABV · American oak ex-bourbon
Older Glen Grant rewards patience — the lean character matures into something elegant rather than rich.
- Nose:
- Vanilla, oak, almond, soft dried fruit.
- Palate:
- Mellow — oak, vanilla, soft spice, faint citrus.
- Finish:
- Long, dry, oak-led.
Food pairings
| Whisky | Food | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Year Old | Green apple tart | The apple-forward spirit mirrors fresh green fruit. |
| 18 Year Old | Roast chicken with herbs | More complex with age — suits savoury, light meat dishes. |
Getting there
Car or bus. Rothes is on the A941 between Elgin and Grantown. Bus from Elgin (15 min).
Where to eat nearby
- The Highlander InnPub/Hotel
Craigellachie — 10 min north. Exceptional whisky bar and food.
- Elgin town centreArea
15 min north — cafés and restaurants.
Where to stay near Glen Grant
Glen Grant is in the centre of Rothes — Elgin is 12 miles north on the A941 and has the widest range of accommodation in the area. Aberlour (10 miles south) is a better base for the Speyside Way and distillery cluster. The Moray Hotel in Elgin is a solid midrange option.
Rothes village — 5 min walk from the distillery.
The whisky hotel of Speyside, 10 min north.
Where to stay near Glen Grant
Hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering within easy reach of Glen Grant.
Booking links are affiliate links — we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Location
Rothes, Moray, AB38 7BS
View on map →Frequently asked questions
+Why is Glen Grant so popular in Italy?
The light, clean, and approachable style suits the Italian palate — it became the de facto starter Scotch for the Italian market in the 1970s. It's now a cultural institution there.
+Is the garden worth visiting?
Yes — the restored Victorian garden designed by Major James Grant is genuinely outstanding. A kitchen garden, glen walk, and whisky safe in a waterfall cleft.
+Where is Glen Grant distillery?
Glen Grant is in Speyside. Postcode AB38.
+When was Glen Grant distillery founded?
Glen Grant was founded in 1840, making it roughly 186 years old.
Compare with similar distilleries
Most similar in style to Glenlivet and Glenfiddich — light, fruity, approachable Speyside. The Victorian garden is unique.
The Glenlivet
The first legal distillery in the parish under the 1823 Excise Act, and one of the largest single malt brands in the world. Glenlivet sits at the centre of Speyside both geographically and historically.
Glenfiddich
The world’s best-selling single malt, Glenfiddich is where most people’s Scotch journey begins. Founded by William Grant and still family-owned, it remains one of the few distilleries to bottle its own spirit on-site.
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