Glenmorangie

In his 1887 book, Alfred Barnard called it the most ancient and primitive distillery he had seen, almost in ruins and fired only by peat.^2,8 That year the Glenmorangie Distillery Company took over, with Duncan Cameron and the Maitlands among its owners.^2,4,8 Accounts of the sale differ: one says Ann Matheson sold to businessmen, while a later heritage survey says Matheson, the founder, formed the firm with Cameron and Andrew Maitland.^2,4,8 It was rebuilt to designs by James Maitland from 1888, and production had resumed by 1890.^2,5,8 The new plant had two tall steam-heated stills and shell-and-tube condensers instead of worm tubs, chosen to give the spirit more contact with copper.^2,5,8 Andrew Maitland died suddenly in 1899, and the business appears to have gone into decline.² There are signs that upkeep slipped after 1900, and the firm was in financial difficulties before war broke out in 1914.²

After standing silent for part of the First World War, it was bought in 1918 by Leith firm Macdonald & Muir with Durham & Co.^2,4,6 Macdonald & Muir used the whisky in blends such as Highland Queen; accounts differ on whether it took full control soon after or in the late 1930s.^2,4,6 Gordon L Smart became distillery manager in 1920 after his father Alexander and held the job for fifty years, leading a core team called the 16 Men of Tain.¹ It was effectively mothballed from 1931 to 1936, years when Prohibition and the Great Depression in the United States cut whisky sales.⁶ It was mothballed again from 1941 to 1944, when the war left fuel and barley in short supply.⁶ By 1948 it was running at full capacity.⁶ In 1959, urged by David Macdonald, the owners began bottling Glenmorangie as a single malt again.^4,8

Sources

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