Editor’s note 1/28/24: This article has been updated to include a statement from Brown-Forman.
Historic Highland Scotch whisky producer Glenglassaugh will temporarily halt all production, according to a social media post from distillery staff.
Although parent company Brown-Forman has yet to confirm the news, former distillery production operator Tijay Salhotra shared an Instagram post Monday morning announcing the end of his three-year tenure with the company, citing the temporary closure as the impetus for the layoff.
“Due to the decline in the whisky industry and a change in the corporation’s activities, Glenglassaugh is halting production for a while making my role redundant,” Salhotra wrote in the post. “It’s not closing for good and it should restart towards the end of the year.”
The news arrives less than two weeks after Brown-Forman announced its plans to cut 12 percent of its global workforce and close its cooperage in Louisville. Although the beverage conglomerate did not offer a specific reason for the restructure, it was likely a result of stateside whiskey sales slumping over the past two years.
As Salhotra mentioned in his Instagram post, the Scotch industry is facing tough times as well. According to the Scotch Whisky Association, whisky exports were down 18 percent in the first half of 2024 when compared to that same period in 2023.
While Brown-Forman’s two other Scotch whisky brands, Benriach and The Glendronach, are arguably more well-known than Glenglassaugh, the Highlands distillery has been gaining some much-deserved recognition in recent years. In 2023, Glenglassaugh’s Sandend Highland Single Malt earned high accolades from VinePair, ranking fourth on our 50 Best Spirits of 2023 list.
Glenglassaugh has proven to power through numerous closures throughout its 150-year history. Between 1907 and 1960, the distillery lay dormant for 53 years before relocating to an upgraded facility. In 1986, Glenglassaugh shuttered its doors again until an investor group brought it back to life in 2008, before the distillery was eventually acquired by Brown-Forman in 2016.
Given that Salhotra’s testimony is the only source we have so far on the matter, we can only hope that the distillery will indeed resume production by the end of 2025.
After publication, VinePair received the following statement from a representative of Brown-Forman:
“Glenglassaugh Distillery is not shutting down. We are implementing a shared production model with Benriach, which will involve periods of production alongside occasional silent seasons, as has been the case traditionally. This allows us to optimize resources and expertise across both distilleries.
This shared production model, and our ongoing demand planning process, resulted in a small number of redundancies. We deeply value the contributions of those impacted and are committed to providing support to them throughout this process.
Our commitment to crafting exceptional whiskies remains as strong as ever, and we are grateful for the continued support and enthusiasm of our customers and markets worldwide.”
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