Canada’s First Single Malt Distillery Celebrates 30 Years

Glen Breton Whisky is celebrating its 30-year anniversary. Glenora Distillery produces the first single malt whisky made in Canada and has gone from strength to strength, through challenges and successes.

September 20, 2021 / / —

Canada’s first single malt whisky, Glen Breton, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Glenora Distillery was constructed in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia in 1990, followed by the initial production of 20 barrels of what was the very first single malt to be made in North America.

Glenora Distillery and Glen Breton Whisky have a rich history, having experienced varied trials and successes in their 30 years in existence. The distillery was originally the dream of Bruce Jardine, the first owner of the distillery. The distillery was founded by Bruce with the help of Bowmore Distillers in Scotland, who helped with production training and sourcing authentic copper stills and a mash tun. With a location secured that would ensure the water used for whisky production would come straight from MacLellan’s Brook, the construction of the distillery was completed in 1990 and production could begin.

In 1994, the current owners of Glenora Distillery acquired the business. The current owners have strong Scottish ancestry and equally strong Cape Breton routes. Their hard work led to the first bottling of Glen Breton Rare being released in 2000. A limited supply was on offer, with the first 500 bottles numbered, signed, and boxed so that they could be kept as collector’s items. The 25th anniversary of the distillery was celebrated in 2015 with a special edition Glen Breton 25 Year Silver Anniversary Package and Bruce Jardine Special Reserve 25 Year.

Glenora Distillery has also faced its challenges. In 2000, shortly after the release of Glen Breton Rare, the Scottish Whisky Association launched a lawsuit against the distillery. The claim was that the use of the term “glen” could confuse consumers, leading them to believe that Glen Breton was made in Scotland. What followed was a media frenzy and plenty of chatter about Glenora Distillers in whisky circles. However, after a long ordeal, victory was awarded to the distillery in 2009, when the Supreme Court of Canada would not allow an appeal of the lower court’s ruling that approved the use of the word glen.

To celebrate, the special Glen Breton Battle of the Glen was released. The 15-year-old single malt whisky is proudly Canadian but carries with it centuries of Scottish tradition. Its beautiful golden colour is just one indication of what’s to be discovered when tasting.

Now Glen Breton celebrates three decades in production and hopes to continue distilling Canadian single malt whisky for many more. Glen Breton is made special through its use of the cleanest, freshest water, its bourbon cask barrels, and the beautiful surroundings and construction of the distillery. In addition to standard whiskys available, customers can also find a selection of specialty whiskys to enjoy.

Find out more about Glen Breton Whisky at https://www.glenbretonwhisky.com. For press enquiries, please contact Marion Matheson – email mmatheson@glenoradistillery.com or call (902) 468-6516.

Contact Info:
Name: Marion Matheson
Email: Send Email
Organization: Glen Breton
Phone: (902) 468-6516
Website: https://www.glenbretonwhisky.com

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Release ID: 89046172