The greatest producer of Scotch Whisky by volume.

Girvan, a behemoth of Grain Whisky

Situated on Ayrshire's west coast, this grain distillery has played a leading role in the story of modern whisky-making. Built in record time, this distillery has never shied from the prospect of making its mark on liquid history.

Built upon ambition

This iconic west-coast distillery has never been shy in its ambition. Today, the greatest producer of grain whisky in Scotland (by volume). In the past, a record-breaking installation - taking no longer than nine months to build, from the moment spade hit land. Indeed, even its first drops of production were something of an occasion, with the very spirit distilled on Christmas Day in 1963 and filled to cask early the following year.

Defining our own destiny

The mid-sixties presented an interesting proposition for pioneers and whisky makers, Charles and Sandy Gordon. The “ways of doing things” were changing – and the annual exchanges of grain spirit with an industry titan meant that it was a choice between stagnation or innovation.

Driven by their ambition, the brothers refused to bow down. They had been challenged by industry competitors in the past – and their dreams dampened when they were told by the titan that under no uncertain terms could they advertise on national television. For them, this new restriction in annual exchange was simply the catalyst in taking control of their own destinies, and thus Girvan Distillery was born.

1950s

1962

1963

1963

1963

1964

1968

1969

1972

1980

1992

2022

2025

Turn off the television

An industry competitor asserts that Charles Gordon and the wider family cannot use television advertising, an indicator of things to come.

Plans in motion

The same industry competitor significantly reduces their contribution on annual grain spirit exchanges. Refusing to be limited by another, Charles Gordon and the family begin to draw up plans and scout sites for their own distillery.

Spade hits soil

April. Ground is broken near the Ayrshire town of Girvan as a mammoth operation gets underway to build a new distillery. With a target of production in December, Charles Gordon is told it is an impossible ambition but pursues regardless.

Caravans and construction

October. With construction work of the new distillery not moving quickly enough, Charles Gordon hires a caravan and moves in temporarily on the site. Due to the size of the site, Charles uses a bicycle to move from one part of the site to the next to survey progress.

Christmas day

December. The stills of Girvan Distillery produce their first new make spirit. Built in a record-breaking nine months, this is an incredible feat of construction, engineering and determination. It is estimated no less than 1,500 bottles of whisky were gifted as incentives over the course of the build.

Liquid legacy is laid down

Girvan’s first year of production is a roaring success. Although most new make spirit is destined for a short maturation and use within mainstream whisky blends, a small amount is portioned off to rest and mature within the family inventory.

The Cask Trials

During this year, an amount of new make spirit is syphoned off and placed in a single sherry butt as an experiment. This cask is left to slumber for over half a century, eventually becoming part of the House of Hazelwood collection, titled The Cask Trials.

Expanding ambitions

December. Just six years on from the first liquid flowing through the stills, Girvan Distillery announces their plans to expand their site to double production. This would be the first of many expansions which would see the distillery expand over its impressive 272 acres in present day.

The Old Ways

Girvan is fast approaching its tenth anniversary. At this point, all original features and team are in place, and the family takes more new spirit to lay in private stocks to preserve this moment as a capsule of time. This spirit would eventually mature into the signature character of The Old Ways, a 1972 Single Grain Scotch Whisky from House of Hazelwood.

Weathering the storm

The 1980s hits the Scotch Whisky industry. A combination of overproduction and economical constraints sees many distilleries mothballed and decimated. Girvan stands strong against the conditions.

Change is good

Girvan Distillery weathers the previous decade well and continues to innovate. The 1990s bring new technologies and techniques and the Girvan signature style evolves, making the spirit slumbering within the House of Hazelwood inventory liquid legacies of the past.

House of Hazelwood unlocks its inventory

In 2022, the Gordon family make their inventory of rare and well-aged whiskies available to the public for the first time. Within the inaugural release is The First Drop, some of the very first Single Grain whisky to have been distilled at Girvan Distillery, as well as the 1968 Vintage Single Grain, The Cask Trials.

One for the Next

To celebrate Girvan’s 60th anniversary, and this legacy of generational craft, House of Hazelwood announces One for the Next, a new series dedicated to past, present and future pioneers of Scotch Whisky.