Records of Invergordon Distillers Group Ltd, Invergordon

• Corporate records, 1986-c2000;
• Production records, late 20th century-1991;
• Promotional and marketing records, 1970s-c1999;
• Photographs, 1990s;
• Audio-visual records, 1990s.

Situated in Ross-Shire, part of the Highland whisky region, the Invergordon grain distillery was founded by Invergordon Distillers Ltd, incorporated 29 December 1959. The company became a subsidiary of London Merchant Securities in 1960. Production started in the following year, producing single grain whisky using one Coffey still with two more stills added by 1963. 1965 saw ownership pass to Invergordon Distillers (Holdings) Ltd (company number: 00841289) incorporated 16 May 1965, and the creation of a new distillery, the Ben Wyvis Highland Malt Distillery which was built with two stills within the Invergordon distillery complex.

A period of expansion followed. In 1965-1966 Invergordon Distillers Ltd built their first off-site malt whisky distillery, Tamnavulin, in Tomnavoulin, Banffshire, and founded the subsidiary Tamnavulin-Glenlivet Distillery Company in 1967. This was followed by the purchase of Bruichladdich distillery on the Isle of Islay in 1968, using money gained from selling shares the company owned in the maltings at Bridlington, Yorkshire, England. In 1971 came the acquisition of whisky brokers Brodie Hepburn Ltd, Glasgow which included a 30% share of Deanston distillery near Doune, and the entire Tullibardine distillery near Stirling. Over the next year, they acquired the rest of the shares in Deanston distillery. The Ben Wyvis distillery was closed in 1977 in order to concentrate on production in the company’s four other distilleries.

In 1978 the majority shareholder for Invergordon Distillers, Carlton Industries, with 76% of the company was bought out by Hawker Siddeley Ltd. The same year the Invergordon distillery expanded with a fourth large Coffey still, with extra columns for the preparation of neutral spirit. Blenders Grey Rogers & Co were acquired in 1979, which included the Scots Grey blended whisky, named after the only Scottish cavalry regiment.

Further expansion during the mid 1980s saw Invergordon Distillers acquire Ronald Morrison Ltd, which included the Glayva Whisky liqueur and in 1985 the bottler and blender Charles Mackinlay & Co Ltd from Scottish & Newcastle Breweries Ltd which included the Glenallachie and Isle of Jura distilleries. The Glenallachie distillery was sold to Campbell Distillers Ltd in 1989. In 1987 Invergordon Distillers joined with Findlater, Mackie, Todd & Co, Ltd, who were founded in 1823, to form a marketing company Findlater (Scotch Whisky) Ltd (company number: SC102875) with worldwide distributing rights for Findlater's Finest Scotch Whisky. Hawker Siddeley's shares were bought out by management in 1988, with 15% of the shares distributed between staff who had worked for the company for two or more years and on 12 Oct 1988 the Invergordon Distillers Group Ltd (company number: SC114029) was incorporated. 1990 saw the launch of The Invergordon, a ten-year-old single grain whisky specifically targeted at the female market. This ceased production a few years later despite being well regarded.

In 1993, after a two year process, Invergordon Distillers Group Ltd along with Isle of Jura, Bruichladdich, Tamnavulin and Tullibardine distilleries and Charles Mackinlay & Co Ltd was acquired by Whyte & Mackay Ltd, at that time owned by American Brands Ltd, for £382,000,000. Invergordon Distillery currently supplies all Whyte & Mackay blended products, plus other whisky industry blends with wheat/maize grain distilled whisky.

Arranged chronologically within record series

Access to certain records within this collection may be restricted or closed for reasons of customer, commercial or third-party confidentiality.  Please email Archives and Special Collections for advice: library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk

Access is with the permission of the collection owners

• Transfer : Whyte & Mackay Ltd : 27 Mar 2020 : GB 248 UGD 224
• Deposit : Whyte & Mackay Ltd : 14 Dec 2015 : ACCN 4004
• Deposit : Whyte & Mackay Ltd : Sept 2019 : ACCN 4304

See also University of Glasgow Collections

Digital file level list available in the searchroom

No known copies of this material

None which affect the use of this material

Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents. Applications for permission to quote should be sent to Archives and Special Collections, please email: library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk

This material has been appraised in line with standard ASC procedures

Received directly from creator

Accruals are possible

• GB 248 UGC 234: Records of Whyte & Mackay Ltd;
• GB 248 UGC 240: Records of Tullibardine Distillery Ltd;
• GB 248 UGC 241: Records of Bruichladdich Distillery Company Ltd;
• GB 248 UGC 242: Records of Isle of Jura Distillery Company Ltd;
• GB 248 UGC 243: Records of Tamnavulin-Glenlivet Distillery Company Ltd;
• GB 248 UGC 244: Records of Charles Mackinlay & Co Ltd.

This material is original