The Longmorn Distillery was founded in 1894 by John Duff and his partners George Thomson and Charles Shirras. The distillery lies by the river Lossie outside the city of Rothes, a few kilometres south of Elgin.

The word ‘Longmorn’ is derived from the Gaelic word Lhanmorgund which means ‘Morgan, the wholly man’. Lhanmorgund stems from the word ‘Mo-emin-og’ which is the name of a fifth-century missionary who was canonized for bringing Christendom to the area surrounding Moray. During the middle ages a chapel was erected in honour of the missionary who is also called St Marnan or St Marnoch. It is said that the warehouses of the Longmorn distillery stand on the very site of this chapel.

Longmorn is currently owned by Pernod Richard and is highly appreciated by the blended industry.

Production at Longmorn

The water is taken from underground springs close by. Longmorn used to malt the barley themselves until 1970 when the floor maltings were converted into a stillhouse. The distillery grind their malt in a Porteus mill. The mash tun is made from cast iron and holds 8 tons. The eight wooden washbacks each hold 38 500 litres. The distillery has eight stills, the wash stills each have a capacity of 9 700 litres and the spirit stills hold 6 500 litres each. Longmorn mature most of their whisky in sherry casks which are stored in both dunnage and racked warehouses.

The stills were heated with direct flame until the 1990s but are now indirectly steam heated. Since the official bottling is 15 years old we have yet to experience any changes in character that may be the result of this change. A special Longmorn tasting session might be called for when the first bottling of whisky from the ‘new’ distilling technique is released!

Contact Longmorn

Longmorn Distillery
Elgin, Morayshire
IV30 3SJ
Scotland

Phone: +44 (0) 154278-3042
Visitors: Visitors are welcomed after advance booking. Longmorn has no visitor centre or gift shop.

Owner: Chivas Brothers Ltd / Pernod Ricard