Craigellachie Distillery was founded in 1891 by the Craigellachie-Glenlivet Distillery Company, a partnership of blenders and merchants led by Alexander Edward. Edward, who had inherited the nearby Benrinnes distillery from his father, also acquired a plot of land in Craigellachie, near the village of Aberlour in the heart of Speyside. Even at the time of its construction, the distillery was considered old-fashioned — a reputation that whisky writer Alfred Barnard noted during his famous tour of Scottish distilleries. In 1916, Mackie & Co (Distillers) took complete control of Craigellachie, and the firm — later renamed White Horse Distillers — eventually came under the ownership of Bacardi, which today operates the distillery under its Dewar's portfolio alongside Aberfeldy, Royal Brackla, Macduff, and Aultmore. For much of its history, Craigellachie's spirit was used primarily as a blending component, but it has since been established as a celebrated single malt in its own right. The distillery is a fully paid-up member of Speyside's so-called 'meaty' club, alongside Cragganmore, Benrinnes, and Mortlach — producing rich, robust, and unapologetically bold whiskies that stand apart from the lighter, more delicate Speyside style. Expressions range from approachable younger releases to rare and complex older bottlings such as the highly regarded 33 Year Old.