William Grant & Sons was founded in 1886 by William Grant (1839-1923), a former cattle herder and shoemaker's apprentice, who grew up near Dufftown on the banks of the Spey River in northern Scotland. The Strathspey region was noted for fine malt whisky, and Grant spent 20 years working for a local distillery before deciding to build his own firm, which he did, literally - constructing a distillery just outside of Dufftown by hand in a hollow called Glenfiddich (Gaelic for "valley of the deer") with the help of his seven sons. The firm flourished, and in 1892 Grant converted the nearby Balvenie Castle into a second distillery. In the century that followed, William Grant and Sons has continued to grow and today plays a major role within the Scotch Whisky industry. It is still owned and operated by fifth-generation descendants of William Grant. Its single malts - Glenfiddich and Balvenie - are produced at the company's original distilleries. The firm also produces Grants, a blended whisky created by mixing some 25 different malts with aged grain whiskies.

Many William Grant & Sons employees come from families that have worked for the firm for several generations. William Grant & Sons has a distinguished record of supporting Scottish traditional arts and artists, including through the Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship and Piping Competition, and the Spirit of Scotland Awards.

Credit: The Smithsonian Institution thanks William Grant & Sons for their assistance and support with this presentation.