Edrington has unveiled a £140 million distillery and visitor centre in Speyside for its whisky brand The Macallan.
The project, which forms part of a £500 million investment in the Scotch brand, was announced in 2012 and the build began in December 2014. The first whisky ran through the stills last December and the visitor experience will open its doors to the public this June.
The programme increases investment in whisky, warehousing, and particularly in The Macallan’s signature sherry-seasoned oak casks. It is estimated the new distillery will allow production of The Macallan to increase by approximately a third.
It is estimated the distillery will allow production of The Macallan to increase by approximately a third.
Located in the Easter Elchies estate, which has been home to The Macallan since 1824, the facility is cut into the slope of the land, taking its cues from surrounding Scottish hills. Edrington said the undulating timber roof structure is “one of the most complicated timber roof structures in the world”, comprising 380,000 individual components.
Edrington chief executive Ian Curle said: “This is an exciting occasion for Edrington and The Macallan. The unsurpassed quality of The Macallan is in high demand and we face the future confidently with this new distillery. It’s an authentic, abiding, ambitious investment that will match consumer expectations for generations to come.
“When the doors open in June, we expect this new Macallan enterprise to deliver significant benefits for the tourism industry, Scotch whisky exports, and the economy.”
The project forms part of a £500 million investment in The Macallan by Edrington.
The Macallan creative director Ken Grier said: “As The Macallan has grown globally it has been very important that we make sure we can sustain demand for this wonderful amber liquid. We’ve taken exceptional care in making sure that the spirit that is produced in the new distillery is identical to the spirit that we produced in our previous distillery. This is the beginning of a really exciting new chapter in the evolution of this wonderful brand that is The Macallan.”
Graham Stirk, senior partner and lead architect at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, added: “The Macallan estate truly is a special place; a place we have come to love and respect hugely. The vision was always ambitious but this enabled us to challenge our own thinking to create something so dramatic and awe-inspiring. It has been an honour to play our part in shaping the next chapter for The Macallan.”
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