A new £140 million whisky distillery and visitor experience has been created in Moray.

The Macallan has been built by Robertson Construction on the Easter Elchies estate in Speyside.

Designed by architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, the facility is part of a £500m investment by Edrington in the brand, boosting investment in whisky, warehousing, and The Macallan's signature sherry-seasoned oak casks.

The undulating timber roof structure comprises 380,000 individual components, with each junction and beam having a specific name, as well as being tested in over 160 different load conditions. In addition, the 'Swiss Alpine Design code' has been used to understand the effects of wind, snow and ice on the structure.

The new distillery will enable production of The Macallan to increase by a third if required. The new stills were crafted by Scottish coppersmith Forsyths, who have been making the brand's distinctive, ‘curiously small' stills for The Macallan since the 1950s.


A number of specialist consultants were appointed to support the interior fit out of the facility, including Atelier Bruckner, Concept Bars and Modo+. Overall, 25 contractors worked on the project to bring the vision for the new distillery and visitor experience to life, with up to 400 people specialising in more than 20 different trades on site.

Going forward, Robertson's facilities management business will deliver maintenance services at the site.

Bill Robertson, Founder and Executive Chairman at Roberston, described the scheme as a "once-in-a-lifetime project".

"The complexity of the construction work required a huge effort from various teams within our business, and their passion and dedication for the project is clear when you see the completed distillery and visitor experience," he said.

"Throughout, we have placed great emphasis on understanding The Macallan's vision for their Speyside home and there has been a real spirit of collaboration between us and all other partners. We congratulate The Macallan and hope visitors to the area enjoy this world class distillery."

Ken Grier, Creative Director, The Macallan, 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."

(LM/MH)