Distillery Corner: Glen Keith

Sitting in the heart of Keith, Glen Keith is a distillery many whisky drinkers walk past without realising quite how important it is. With its large green buildings dominating the riverside site, it’s hard to miss physically and yet it remains one of Speyside’s more under-the-radar names as a single malt.

As Vic Cameron notes, Glen Keith is “another sort of lesser-known distillery,” even though it’s quietly one of Pernod Ricard’s stronger-selling single malts.

A Brief History

Glen Keith was built in the 1950s, very much with blending in mind, during a period of expansion for the Scotch whisky industry. Like several distilleries of its era, it has had a chequered history, opening and closing multiple times over the decades.

Today, it is owned by Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard) and is firmly back in production. While not open as a visitor centre - visitors are usually directed across the bridge to nearby Strathisla - Glen Keith plays an important behind-the-scenes role in both blends and single malts.

House Style

Glen Keith is known for its sweet, fruity character, driven by relatively long fermentations and a light, clean distillation style. Vic sums it up simply: “Very, very fruity… sweet. That’s what it’s known for.”

Younger expressions lean into fresh orchard fruit and sweetness, showing plenty of distillery character. Older casks, particularly those matured in American oak, develop pronounced vanilla, coconut and oak-driven notes. Tasting a 25-year-old example, Vic notes that the influence shifts: “There’s less of the distillery character there and more character from the wood.”

Core Range & Availability

Glen Keith’s official releases tend to focus on younger, approachable expressions, designed to showcase its fresh, fruit-led style. While much of its spirit still goes into blends, single malt bottlings are increasingly visible and gaining popularity.

As Vic puts it, Glen Keith may not be a household name, but “if you like sort of sweet, fruity whiskies, that’s the one to go for.” For those exploring beyond Speyside’s headline acts, it’s a distillery well worth discovering.