The Glenlivet

When George Smith applied for the first legal distillery license in the region known as the Livet Parish, he immediately became a target for the owners of illicit stills in the area. But through a fortuitous partnering with whisky dealers Andrew Usher & Sons, the name Glenlivet soon became the largest selling whisky in the UK . Many other distilleries in the area started attaching Glenlivet to their own distillery names in an attempt to increase the value of their whisky. Examples included venerable distilleries such as: Glen Moray – Glenlivet; Macallan – Glenlivet; and Craigellachie – Glenlivet. An unsuccessful lawsuit was launched in 1879 to prevent other distilleries from using the name Glenlivet but the Courts ruled that the term could continue to be used provided it was hyphenated with the distillery’s own name. However, the courts did allow then-owner J.G. Smith, along with partners Andrew and John Usher, exclusive rights to the terms “The Glenlivet” and “Old Vatted Glenlivet”. Apart from a brief shutdown during the second world war, The Glenlivet has operated continuously since 1824 and is now the second most popular whisky in the world. And just a small side note, Whisky Drop’s owners are direct descendants of the Usher family.