Girvan

Introduction:

Located in the industrial area of Girvan, this distillery is William Grant & Sons’ sole Grain Whisky distillery. It shares the site with Ailsa Bay distillery and the former Ladyburn distillery, which closed in 1975.

Girvan supplied Grain for William Grant & Sons Blends until 2014 when they released their first Single Grain bottlings, produced using the patent still process.

The Gin:

Hendrick’s Gin is handcrafted on the Girvan premises since 1999. Master distiller Lesley Gracie oversees the production, utilizing unique Bennett and Carter Head stills. The blend of eleven botanicals sourced globally, including rose and cucumber, creates a smooth and balanced Gin.

In addition to Hendrick’s original Gin, the distillery offers limited editions like Lunar and Midsummer Solstice with floral notes. Hendrick’s Orbium incorporates quinine, vermouth, and lotus blossom, while Hendrick’s Amazonia Gin features botanicals from the Amazon jungle, exclusively available in Travel Retail.

The Production:

Girvan still uses the original Patent Still “No. 1 Apps” alongside four Coffey stills, including the innovative “No. 4 Apps” introduced in 1992 for MPS distillation. This unique process, performed under vacuum at low temperatures, produces a sweeter and fruitier spirit free from sulphur compounds.

The Warehouse:

With 53 warehouses estimated to hold 10% of all Scotch Whisky, Girvan distillery has a significant storage capacity. American white oak casks, rich in vanillin, are used to mature Girvan Whiskies.

The History:

Constructed in 1963 by Charles Grant Gordon, Girvan became the world’s largest and most modern Grain distillery at the time. In 2019, the Gin Palace, a tropical greenhouse mimicking the heat and humidity of the Amazon, was unveiled as the new home of Hendrick’s Gin, housing an array of tropical fruits and plants.

Visitor information:

Girvan Distillery
Grangestone Industrial Estate
Girvan
Ayrshire
KA26 9PT
Tel: +44(0)1465-713091