Glencadam breaks ground on visitor centre

East Highland distillery Glencadam has begun construction work on a new visitor experience and VIP suite, which will open next year.

The new centre will pay homage to the distillery’s heritage, which dates to 1825, and features a retail space and tasting rooms, as well as a whisky lounge, café and function suite for corporate hospitality and private hire.

Parts of the distillery’s architecture will also be renovated as part of the project, with skylights added to the Doig ventilators.

The brand received planning permission for the work in 2019.

Project manager Gary Milligan said: “Much work has gone into developing plans to craft an immersive visitor experience suited to both our historic distillery and the vibrant community that surrounds it.

“Blending tradition with modernity, a stone facade will wrap around the two-floor visitor centre, complementing the existing distillery buildings while adding a contemporary feel, with enhanced amenities to elevate the overall visitor experience.”

The new visitor centre is expected to open in summer 2025, which will coincide with the brand’s 200th anniversary.

Glencadam produces single malt Scotch using an almost 200-year-old process. The distillery was mothballed in 2000, before being brought back by Angus Dundee Distillers in 2003.

In 2021, Glencadam reinstalled an internal waterwheel, modelled on the original that was used to power the distillery in 1825.