Glenury Royal Distillery (closed in 1985)

Glenury Royal (a.k.a. Glenury) was founded by Robert Barclay in 1825 near Stonehaven, on the east coast, south of Aberdeen. That makes it an eastern Highland distillery, just like its 'coastal' neighbours Glenesk, Lochside and North Port. The ownership of the distillery changed a few times and Glenury even fell silent a few times before it was rebuilt in the mid-1960's. The number of stills was expanded from two to four in 1966. Glenury (Royal) was closed in 1985 by DCL who owned it at the time. United Distillers bought the distillery in 1986. It's Whiskey  has never been widely available nor very well known. The license was cancelled in 1992 and in 1993 the site was sold and developed as a residential area, with only the lower part of the original Chimney remaining, mounted with a commemorative plaque to it's origins.

Notes from a visit in the 1860's

The Granaries and maltings used to stand in a delightful old-fashioned garden, and in same places the river almost washed the walls. The No. land No. 2 Maltings where neat stone builldings of (our flats, two of them appropriated for barley storage, the others for Malting Floors, these last where concreted and have metal Steeps. The No. 3 Granary building is divided from the No.land No. 2 by the Kilns and Excise Offices, and is not quite so lofty, having only three floors, two for barley, and the bottom a Malting Floor with a metal Steep. Served by these Maltings were
 two Kilns, both connected by an overhead bridge, across which the malt is wheeled the floors were of wire cloth and the furnaces were fired with peat. On the level of the Kiln Floor is the Malt Deposit, and adjoining is the Mill, above which is the Grist Loft. A water cristern stretches over the pathway from the roof of the Mill House to the Still. House, and holds 50,000 gallons of water, which is pumped up from the river. Another bridge forms the communication between the Grist Loft and Mash House, over which the ground malt is conveyed direct into the Tunnel.

The Mash House, a spacious apartment containing a metal Mash-tub 17 feet in diameter, possessing the usual stirring gear and draining plates. On a gallery wc observed two boiling coppers with a capacity of 6,000 gallons, and sunk into the pavement outside were the two Underbacks. The worts were
 pumped up to two old-fashioncd fan coolers in the roof of the Back House, in which the fans were driven by a water-wheel. Ascending two pairs of stairs we reached the top staging of the Back House, wherein were five Washbacks, each holding 6,000 gallons, switched by water power. This house is 90 feet long and 30 feet wide. We next retraced our steps to the courtyard, and came to the Still House, passing on our way a fine Worts and Wash Pump, driven by water power. This building is 54 feet square, and contains a Wash Charger holding 7,000 gallons, and a Low-wines and Feints Charger 3,000 gallons, bath new vessels, and placed on a platform supported by iron pillars. On the floor of the house were two auId Pot Stills, one of them a Wash Still, holds 4,000 gallons, the other a Spirit Still of 3,coo gallons, also a Low-wines and Feints Receiver, and Spirit Receiver, the former holding 2,500 gallons, the latter 3,000 gallons, and a Spirit Safe.

Attached to the Spirit Still there is a brass Charging Gauge, an ingenious device for preventing accidents whilst the Still is being charged. The Worm Tub consists of a huge cement tank 80 feet long and 12 feet wide, wherein were laid 900 feet of copper worm; all the water used in the Distillery runs through this receptacle from the aqueduct above, turning a large water-wheel, which drives all the motive power in the place. On leaving the water tank we raid a brief visit to the Spirit Store, containing a vat holding 4,OO0 gallons, and to the five Warehouses, capable of. holding nearly 10,000 casks. There is also a large new warehouse of two stories, in the town, of 120 feet square, in four sections, which contained 350,000 gallons at the time of our visit. In the Distillery yard there is a Racking Store, also a Cooperage, over which is a carpenter's shop containing an engine, made by a workman in the place, for driving three turning lathes and two sawing machines ; also a joiners' and engineers' shop. Home-grown barley only is used ; the district being celebrated for the fine quality of the barley. There were  three Excise Officers, besides the Supervisor, Mr. H. Thompson. The make was Highland Malt, and the annual output is about 132,000 gallons.