Invergordon Whisky
About the distillery (brief)
Invergordon is located in the town of Invergordon in the Highlands and is a single grain distillery with a distinct profile: soft, creamy whisky matured in American ex-bourbon casks. The distillery was founded in 1959 and went into production in 1961, and it highlights that it is the only single grain distillery in the Highlands. The range is small and focused around three matured expressions, showing how much cask and age matter for grain whisky.
History
Invergordon Single Grain Scotch Whisky Distillery was founded in 1959 and began production in 1961. The town of Invergordon was named after Sir William Gordon, a local laird from the 1700s, and later developed into both a trading and a naval port in the early 1900s. Today, the town is also known as one of Scotland’s busiest cruise ports, but the distillery’s own history is tied to a different kind of traffic: the whisky that left the port more than half a century ago. It is the story of a specialized grain distillery that from the beginning worked with a clear style and with production that was set in motion in the early 1960s. This position underscores Invergordon’s role as a Highland distillery focused on single grain, with a product intended to be light, smooth, and influenced by cask maturation.
Raw materials and production
Invergordon makes single grain whisky using a mash bill consisting of corn, malted barley, unmalted barley, and locally grown Scottish wheat. Distillation takes place in tall column stills, described as being more closely related to American bourbon production than pot stills, and the stills are over 50 feet tall. This construction provides high contact between alcohol and the still’s walls and helps create a clean and refined spirit. The water is sourced from Loch Glass, an old freshwater loch in the Highlands with granite-filtered water. The distillery’s own description emphasizes that single grain whisky can consist of more than one grain variety, as long as it comes from the same distillery.
Maturation and cask types
Maturation takes place in American white oak ex-bourbon casks, both first fill and refill. First fill casks contribute more distinctive vanilla and caramel aromas, while refill casks provide a more discreet tone of oak and spice. This approach suits Invergordon’s light grain style, because the whisky is already described as softer and mellower and therefore easily influenced by the cask. All three official releases fit within this framework and use bourbon casks as the ongoing maturation profile.
Whiskies
The current range consists of three clearly age-labeled single grain releases: 14, 18, and 21 years old. It is a simple and focused selection, where the difference between the bottles primarily lies in age, and thus in how much depth, roundness, and cask character the whisky has gained during maturation. The 14-year expression appears as the lightest and most direct, while the 18-year expression shows more creamy fullness, and the 21-year expression has the most rounded and mature profile. Overall, the series is built to show how the Invergordon style develops over time in American oak.
| Whisky | Type / series | Age | Cask and style | Tasting profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invergordon 14 | Single Grain Highland Whisky | 14 years old | American White Oak ex-Bourbon casks | A 14-year-old single grain Highland whisky matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks.; Nose: Vanilla cream, coconut, green apple and sweet nuttiness.; Taste: Coconut, vanilla, sugared almonds and sweet cereal.; Finish: Orchard apples, vanilla, fresh baked bread and soft wood spice. | Current; Core range |
| Invergordon 18 | Single Grain Highland Whisky | 18 years old | American White Oak ex-Bourbon casks | A 18-year-old single grain Highland whisky matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks.; Nose: Sugar snaps, sweet vanilla, orchard fruits and sweet cinnamon spice; Taste: Custard, toasted coconut, crisp orchard fruits and a hint of mango; Finish: Apple pie, tropical fruits, cinnamon and liquorice | Current; Core range |
| Invergordon 21 | Single Grain Highland Whisky | 21 years old | American White Oak ex-Bourbon casks | A 21-year-old Highland single grain whisky matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks.; Nose: Creme Brulee, fresh lime citrus, sugared almonds and ginger; Taste: Sugared almonds, ginger cake, orchard fruits and red liquorice; Finish: Vanilla, soft caramel, orchard fruit and red liquorice | Current; Core range |
Style and flavor profile of the whiskies
Invergordon stands for a style with vanilla, coconut, and sweet almonds in the foreground, complemented by green apples, orchard fruits, and citrus. There are also notes of sweet cereal, apple pie, crème brûlée, and ginger cake, which give the whisky a clear dessert and cake character. The spices lean more toward the mild end with cinnamon, ginger, and soft wood spice, while the finish is often rounded off with soft caramel and red liquorice.
Visit the distillery
There is no information about public visits, tours, or tastings on the available pages.
The distillery does not receive visitors.
Philosophy and craft
Invergordon works with a clear single grain identity: one distillery origin, a mash bill with multiple grain varieties, and distillation in tall column stills. The style is deliberately soft and mellow, and the whisky is intended to be a distillate that lets the cask play a major role. The choice of American oak, especially first fill and refill ex-bourbon casks, is central to the expression, just as the water from Loch Glass is included as a concrete part of the distillery’s work.
Awards and recognitions
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93 points (2023, 93 points, Invergordon 14 Year Old)
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94 points (2023, 94 points, Invergordon 18 Year Old)
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Double Gold (2023, Double Gold, Invergordon)
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96 points (2023, 96 points, Invergordon 21 Year Old)
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Gold (2023, Gold, Invergordon 21 Year Old)