New Distillery near Grantown-on-Spey

Speymalt Whisky Distributors (operating as Gordon & MacPhail) is developing a new distillery and visitor centre in Craggan, Scotland, UK.

Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) approved the distillery development in October 2019. Construction of the complex is expected to be started later in 2019 and completed within a year.

The distillery is anticipated to produce two million litres of spirit or 100,000 cases of whisky a year. An estimated 50,000 people a year are expected to visit the new distillery and visitor centre.

Location of the new distillery complex near Grantown-on-Spey

The new distillery and visitor centre will be located in Craggan, near Grantown-on-Spey, Scotland.

It is the first malt whisky distillery to be developed in Cairngorms National Park since its inauguration in 2003.

The site is situated between Craggan Outdoors and Gaich Farm, near the A95 highway on the outskirts of Grantown-on-Spey. It also includes a part of the land over the A95 where the company proposes to construct a water abstraction pipeline. It offers a view of the Cairngorm Mountains and the River Spey.

Details of the distillery complex

The proposed distillery complex will include the construction of a distillery, visitor centre, café, retail space, tasting rooms, two warehouses, and car parking. The facilities will be arranged in a circular design to avoid blocking of the service yard.

The distillery will be a three-level building featuring a lower-level and upper-level tun, still house, and mash rooms. It will also include draft and malt silos, water and effluent tanks, and boiler and generator equipment.

Visitor facilities will be located in a three-floor drum-shaped building, on the north-eastern part of the distillery complex. The ground floor will include a café, retail store, and an office while the second level will feature a meeting room. Speymalt proposes to include the tasting room and dining area on the third floor.

Infrastructure facilities

The project also includes the construction of a semi-circular underground visitor warehouse facility towards the south-east side of the complex. Facing the distillery building, the warehouse will be constructed with a sedum roof and stone-faced wall.

A bonded warehouse for cask storage will also be constructed towards the western side of the distillery.

Processing water for the distillery will be collected from Glenbeg burn, which will be abstracted downstream of the private water supply at Craggan House. Water will be conveyed to the site by a new 670m-long pipeline.

Contractors involved

Architecture and engineering company NORR was contracted to design the distillery in July 2018. TGP designed the landscape master plan and conducted the landscape and visual impact assessment.

Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie are responsible for planning and legal aspects of the new distillery.

Gordon & MacPhail’s product portfolio

The range of whiskies marketed by Gordon & MacPhail includes Generations, Private Collection, Connoisseurs Choice, Distillery Labels, and the Discovery.

The Generations range features the longest matured Scotch whisky and includes 70-year old Mortlach, Cask 339 from Glenlivet Distillery, and a single cask from Mortlach Distillery aged for 75 years.

The Private Collection comprises single malts sourced from closed and unexplored distilleries in Scotland. It includes the Gordon & MacPhail 1965, Gordon & MacPhail 1961, and Gordon & MacPhail 1982 whiskies sourced from the Glen Grant, Mortlach, and Caperdonich distilleries respectively.

The Connoisseurs Choice range includes whiskeys sourced from approximately 100 distilleries. It includes popular drinks such as Allt A Bhainne 2005, Auchroisk 2005, and Aultmore 2005 as well as whisky ranges sourced from the Caol Ila, Dalmore, and Glenlivet distilleries.

The Distillery Labels collection features drinks such as Ardmore 1999 and 2000 vintage, Glentauchers range, Linkwood range, and Longmorn 2003.

The Discovery collection includes Glenrothes 11 Years Old, Ledaig 12 Years Old, and Miltonduff 10 Years Old.