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Macallan’s £140m distillery to open in June

Edrington will open its new £140 million (US$188.4m) Macallan distillery and visitor centre next month, which will enable production of the single malt Scotch whisky to increase by a third.

Forsyths provided The Macallan’s ‘distinctive’ small stills

Edrington first revealed it was to open the multi-million-pound site in 2012 and construction got under way in December 2014.

The first whisky ran through the stills in December last year and the visitor experience will open its doors to the public on 2 June. Edrington expects visitor numbers to double in its first year.

Ian Curle, chief executive, Edrington, 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 new site, located on the Easter Elchies estate near Craigellachie in Moray, is part of Edrington’s £500 million investment in the brand, which will be spent on the whisky and warehousing, with particular focus on The Macallan’s Sherry-seasoned oak casks.

The new stills were crafted by Scottish coppersmiths Forsyths, who have been producing The Macallan’s “distinctive” small stills since the 1950s.

The site was designed by leading architect Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners and built by Elgin-based Robertson Construction. Up to 400 people specialising in more than 20 different trades were involved in the construction.

The design of the roof takes inspiration from ancient Scottish hills while “minimising the visual impact” on the Speyside countryside. The undulating timber roof structure, thought to be one of the most complicated of its kind in the world, comprises 380,000 individual components.

Ken Grier, creative director, The Macallan, added: “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.”

The roof on The Macallan’s new distillery emulates the rolling hills of Speyside

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