Glenora Distillery, located in Nova Scotia, Canada, is North America’s first Single Malt Whisky.
Production began in 1990 yielding a rare 20 barrels but cash flow problems forced it into receivership. Under new ownership production continued and in November, 2000 the first bottling of Glen Breton Rare was released. The square, 750ml bottle sported a blue label and was of limited supply. The first 500 bottles filled, were numbered, signed, boxed, and destined to become collector’s items. Glenora bottled a 9 year expression in the same bottle but with a newly designed black label featuring a red maple leaf and in 2003 an age statement indicating 10 years of maturation proudly was added to the label.
It has successfully fought a 9 year legal battle with the Edinburgh based Scotch Whisky Association attempting to deny Glenora from using the word “Glen” in its name.