Alcoholic beverages firm Diageo has completed expansion work at two malt whisky distilleries in Speyside, as part of its £1bn investment programme to boost Scotch whisky production capacity in Scotland.

At the Linkwood distillery, the company has invested around £5m for a new building with six new washbacks and two new copper stills, which is expected to double the facility’s production capacity by 50% annually.

Around £9m was invested to build a new stillhouse, eight new washbacks, a new mashtun and two new copper stills at the Mannochmore distillery.

Diageo Investment project director Mike Jappy said that both Linkwood and Mannochmore are important distilleries for Diageo, producing high quality single malt whisky for the company’s world-leading blended Scotch whisky portfolio.

"Speyside is at the heart of Diageo’s distilling business and we look forward to progressing the next phase of our investment programme with further expansions in the next twelve months," added Jappy.

Both the distilleries are now operational.

The company has also invested around £40m for the expansion and renovation of Glendullan, Dailuaine, Benrinnes, Inchgower, Cragganmore, and Glen Elgin distilleries, alongside Linkwood and Mannochmore.

Diageo produces distills, brews, bottles and packages, and distributes spirits, beer, wine, and ready to drink beverages.

It offers Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky, Crown Royal Canadian whisky, J&B Scotch whisky, Buchanan’s Scotch whisky, Windsor Premier Scotch whisky, Bushmills Irish whiskey, Smirnoff vodka, Ketel One vodka, Cîroc vodka, Captain Morgan rum and rum based products, Baileys Irish Cream liqueur, Tanqueray gin, and Guinness stout.