New £100m Macallan Distillery Gets The Go Ahead

You may recall that back in November 2013 The Macallan announced its plans to build a new distillery and visitor centre for The Macallan, it has taken a while to get through the planning stages but today The Macallan have been granted planning permission by The Moray Council for a new £100m iconic distillery and visitor centre on The Macallan Estate in Speyside.

Works will now progress on the delivery of the new facility which is scheduled to open to the public in Spring 2017. The Macallan, one of the core brands of Edrington, has appointed Robertson, as preferred contractor for the new facility and Forsyths of Rothes as supplier of the distillation equipment.

Graham Hutcheon, Group Operations Director, Edrington, said: "We are delighted with the decision taken today by The Moray Council planning committee. This permission enables us to forge ahead with our work on site. Following a competitive tender process we have selected Robertson as our preferred contractor to deliver our new distillery and visitor centre. We have assembled a first class team, including internationally renowned architects Rogers, Stirk, Harbour and Partners, and are confident that Robertson will complement the existing team and our aspirations for this project. "

Graham went on to assure fans of the iconic Speyside single malt whisky by saying, "Only the external appearance of the distillery will change, the exceptional quality of The Macallan, which has been produced for many years using copper stills from Forsyths, will not be compromised and the same focus on attention to detail and personal care of the whisky’s production will be upheld. The new distillery will undoubtedly become one of the most talked about distilleries, not only in Speyside but globally, and we look forward to starting on site soon."

I don't have any numbers yet for the projected capacity of the new distillery but The Macallan have told me that the new distillery will over time deliver a significant increase in capacity to meet the growing demand from existing and new international markets.

In addition to creating a site of major architectural significance, the new distillery will ensure the on-going quality control of the production of The Macallan, both of which further consolidate The Macallan’s position as one of the world’s leading luxury spirits. With its rolling roofscape, the distillery has been designed to complement the natural beauty of the area and The Macallan Estate, which overlooks the River Spey.

Bill Robertson, Executive Chairman, Robertson, said: "We are delighted and honoured to have been selected by The Macallan to build their new world-class, iconic distillery and visitor centre.

"As a local business we have worked in the whisky industry for many, many years and fully understand the aspirations of the sector. Perhaps more importantly we have taken the time to understand The Macallan, the business, its objectives and its reputation for high quality in all it does.

The project will be delivered in true partnership between ourselves and The Macallan and will result in a distillery and visitor centre which will become the benchmark for others to aspire to."

Graham Hutcheon, Edrington, concluded; "With Robertson and Forsyths joining our professional team, we are delighted that regionally based businesses will benefit from our investment. It is anticipated that due to the locations of both these companies even greater economic and employment benefits for the local and surrounding areas will be realised."

The Macallan is recognised around the world as a marque of excellence and craftsmanship. The new facility will embody The Macallan’s uncompromising approach to quality and luxury. Work on site is due to commence in October this year.

Meanwhile the current distillery will continue business as usual during the construction of the new distillery. What will become of the current distillery remains to be seen. We could possibly see something similar to what happened at Clynelish and Brora, both run side by side until the demand depleted.
 

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