The Balvenie distillery is a Strathspey single malt Scotch whisky distillery in Dufftown, Scotland, owned by William Grant & Sons.

William Grant was born on 19 December 1839 in his father’s house in Dufftown. At seven he began herding cattle at a farm on the upper reaches of the River Deveron. He was apprenticed to a shoemaker then worked as a clerk, and then became a bookkeeper at Mortlach distillery 1866. There he was appointed as a clerk, and then manager and learned the distilling trade.

After about twenty years, Grant left his job at the Mortlach distillery and bought a field near Balvenie Castle. He then drew up plans for his distillery, and the foundation stone was laid in the autumn of 1886.

In early 1892 work began to convert an 18th-century mansion (Balvenie New House) into a distillery. The building took fifteen months to complete, and on 1 May 1893, the first distillation took place at the Balvenie Distillery.

The distillery went on to be one of the most successful in the world. Balvenie produces whisky in a traditional style.

Grant remained active in the company until his death in 1923 at the age of 83.