Glen Albyn Distillery
Great North Road
Inverness Inverness-shire IV3 5LU
Owner: Diageo
Creation year: 1846
If Inverness has nowadays no more distillery in activity, it remains nonetheless that in the 19th century this city was one of the most important at the level of malt production. James Sutherland founded Glen Albyn in 1846. Its first life was short as 20 years later the distillery was turned into a flour mill. In 1884, it returned to its original activities and was transformed into a distillery again. The distillery went through several hands, including the partnership between John Birnie and Charles Mackinlay who built the neighboring distillery, Glen Mhor.
Glen Albyn and Glen Mhor were among the first to adopt the Saladin Box instead of malting surfaces. The whiskey industry slowed down in the 1980s and many distilleries were closed and some destroyed. At the same time as Glen Albyn and Glen Mhor, Dallas Dhu, Banff and Brora closed. Both Inverness distilleries were demolished to make way for hypermarkets.
