William Grant, father of the founder of William Grant & Sons, was discharged from the First Battalion Ninety-Second Regiment of Foot after serving in the Napoleonic Wars. He then walked 320 miles to Dufftown.

William Grant was born in the family home on 52 Conval Street in Dufftown, Scotland. His father, also named William Grant, had served in the Napoleonic Wars and was known as 'Old Waterloo' after being discharged.

In 1859, William Grant walked 120 miles to Balmoral to study outcrops with the intention of purchasing them, showcasing his early aspirations of independence and entrepreneurship.

In 1886, William Grant and his six sons initiated the construction of Glenfiddich distillery.

In 1887, William Grant founded the Glenfiddich Distillery in the Scottish Highlands, utilizing the pure Robbie Dhu spring water and special microclimate of the Glen of Fiddich to create a unique malt whisky. The distillery produced a bright and bold whisky that became known as the 'best dram in the valley'.

In 1892, William Grant & Sons built the Balvenie distillery, a neighboring distillery to Glenfiddich.

In 1893, William Grant purchased Balvenie Castle and converted it into a distillery, producing unique whiskey. The Balvenie brand became known for having its own malting plant and growing its own barley.

In 1898, three months prior to the Patterson crash, William Grant and his sons transitioned from distillers to blenders, creating the Grant's Stand Fast blend which evolved into Grant's Blended Whisky, now one of the top three blended Scotch whiskies globally.

In 1903, William Grant began blending whiskies and established a Glasgow branch office and blending operation.

In 1904, William Grant & Sons established its first export office in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, as part of its expansion into wholesale, blending, and distribution operations.

In 1905, William Grant & Sons started exporting to Canada after discovering a distant relative who was the country's High Commissioner, expanding its international presence.

In 1909, William Grant's son-in-law Charles Gordon embarked on a successful year-long sales tour in the Far East, expanding the company's market presence.

By 1914, William Grant & Sons had established over 60 sales offices and expanded their exports to 30 countries worldwide.

The passage of the Immature Spirits Act in 1915 posed a challenge to William Grant & Sons by prohibiting the sales of whisky aged less than two years.

In 1919, after the war, William Grant & Sons re-started distilling operations, overcoming the challenges faced during the wartime.

William Grant, the founder of Glenfiddich distillery, passed away in 1923 at the age of 83. He passed on the craft of distilling Glenfiddich to his sons, which has been maintained and passed down through 6 generations of family ownership.

In 1927, William Grant & Sons expanded by opening a London office and restoring its Scandinavian export markets.

The repeal of Prohibition in the United States in 1933 boosted demand for whisky, with Glenfiddich establishing itself as a top-selling Scotch whisky.

In 1957, Grant's introduced its iconic triangular bottle, designed by Hans Schleger, to protect and reinforce its independence.

In 1963, Grant's created its own grain distillery at Girvan to further solidify its independence.

In 1964, Grant's made efforts to market Glenfiddich single malt in England and abroad, leading to its global best-selling position.

In 1969, the company opened the first distillery visitor centre in Scotland at Glenfiddich, providing a unique experience for whisky enthusiasts to learn about the distillation process and history of the brand.

In 1974, William Grant & Sons won the Queen's Award to Industry for Outstanding Export Achievement, a prestigious recognition for the company.

Ladyburn distillery, where Ladyburn whisky was produced, closed in 1975.

William Grant & Sons founded the Kininvie distillery in 1990.

In 1992, William Grant & Sons purchased the Convalmore distillery to expand warehousing capacity for Glenfiddich.

In 1998, William Grant & Sons acquired a 30 percent stake in rival Highland Distillers in a partnership with the Edrington Group, marking a strategic move for external growth.

In 1999, William Grant & Sons combined with The Edrington Group to acquire Highland Distilleries, which owned The Macallan, Highland Park malts, and The Famous Grouse. This merger led to the creation of the 1887 Company, with Grants holding a 30% stake.

In 2000, Patrick Thomas, a French executive, was appointed as the CEO of William Grant & Sons Ltd. This marked the first time a non-family member led the company.

In October 2002, William Grant & Sons acquired the Canadian whisky brand Gibson's Finest.

In 2003, the Grant Gordon family decided to take back managerial control of William Grant & Sons, leading to the resignation of CEO Patrick Thomas. The newly appointed chairman, Charles Gordon, expressed the family's intention to transition the business into a fully professional organization while maintaining its tradition as a family company.

In October 2005, the company purchased Raynal & Cie and obtained the brandy brands Three Barrels and The Raynal.

In 2007, due to the increasing demand for malt for blending, a decision was made to construct the Ailsa Bay malt distillery at Girvan. This expansion was a strategic move to meet the company's supply requirements.

In 2008, William Grant & Sons expanded their portfolio by acquiring Sailor Jerry rum, adding to their diverse range of spirits.

In 2009, Ailsa Bay distillery was constructed to fulfill the demand for malt whisky used in blended whiskies.

In May 2010, the group acquired four brands from C&C Group, including Tullamore D.E.W., for €300m. They later sold three minor brands to Gruppo Campari, effectively paying €171m for the Tullamore D.E.W. brand.

Glenfiddich and The Balvenie, among the few distilleries in Scotland still owned and run independently by their founding family, continue the tradition of family ownership. This tradition has been maintained for 6 generations since William Grant passed on the craft to his sons.

In 2017, Grant's, the company's leading blended whisky, claimed the third spot in the world's best-selling Scotch whiskies, following Johnnie Walker and Ballantine’s.

As of 2018, William Grant & Sons Ltd is still run by the descendants of William Grant. The company has maintained its independence and family ownership for over a century.

In March 2020, the company switched production at three distilleries to create ethanol for hand sanitiser during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In June 2020, the company reopened some visitor centres with increased hygiene measures.

In September 2020, Fistful of Bourbon, the company's first bourbon, was launched in the American market.

William Grant & Sons is an independent, family-owned drinks business. It is best known for producing the world's leading single malt whisky, Glenfiddich.

In February 2022, William Grant & Sons launched its first low-alcoholic spirits, Atopia.

In September 2023, William Grant & Sons acquired the Guildford-headquartered gin producer, Silent Pool Distillers.

An entry about William Grant & Sons Ltd. in the International Directory of Company Histories on Encyclopedia.com dated April 15, 2024.