For 20 years William Grant nurtured a dream to make the ‘best dram in the valley’. With the help of his family, he finally achieved that vision. In the summer of 1886, with his seven sons and two daughters by his side, William set out to fulfil a lifelong ambition. Together they began building his Distillery by hand, stone by stone. After a single year of work it was ready and William named it Glenfiddich, Gaelic for Valley of the Deer. William’s passion, determination and pioneering spirit continues to guide us today. Glenfiddich is one of the few single malt distilleries to remain entirely family owned and is now the World's Most Awarded Single Malt* Scotch Whisky, a true reflection of our founder’s innovative nature, passed down through the generations. William Grant fulfils a lifelong ambition and starts building his own distillery with the help of his nine children and a single stone mason. He names it Glenfiddich, Gaelic for Valley of the Deer. After a year of hard labour the first drop of spirit falls from our copper stills on Christmas Day 1887. Sandy Grant Gordon, great grandson of William, is so proud of our single malt that he makes Glenfiddich the first to be actively promoted outside Scotland. Consumers around the world used to drinking blended whisky, are initiated to the delights of single malt. Until then a well-kept secret of the Scots.