Monday, June 22, 2015

CHIVAS BROTHER’S NEW £25M DISTILLERY OFFICIALLY OPENED BY SCOTLAND’S FIRST MINISTER

Chivas Brothers, has today officially launched its £25m state-of-the-art Dalmunach Distillery in Speyside.

Situated on the site of the former Imperial Distillery which was mothballed in 1998, the Dalmunach Distillery which takes its name from the nearby pool in the River Spey, was officially opened today by Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The new £25m Dalmunach Distillery in Speyside

Completion of the distillery in Carron sees the culmination of an investment package which has increased Chivas Brothers’ malt whisky distillation capacity by 17% as it looks to support long-term global demand for its brands.

Capable of producing up to 10 million litres of spirit each year,  the new £25m distillery has been built using the latest innovations and environmental expertise such as heat recovery technology. It is the most energy efficient distillery within Chivas Brothers’ portfolio, with a 20% efficiency improvement over traditional distilleries.

The distillery’s architecture was inspired by the shape of a sheaf of barley reflecting the core ingredient of single malt whisky. It houses eight unique copper pot stills, with a tulip shape used for the wash stills and an onion shape used for the spirit stills, replicating those from the Imperial distillery which was situated on the site from 1897 until 2012.

Commenting on the distillery at its official opening, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, said: “Scotch whisky is one of Scotland’s iconic brands and is in huge demand all over the globe due to the exceptional quality the industry produces. It is hugely important to the Scottish economy and its protected EU status means it has an unmatched international reputation. The Dalmunach Distillery is one of a 115 across Scotland and it is a sign of continued investment from Chivas Brothers. It’s also fitting that this facility opens in the Year of Food and Drink as we celebrate and promote the magnificence of our natural larder. We want to work with firms to sustain and build on the success the industry enjoys – this distillery will play its part in that and will also contribute to the continued growth of Scotland’s economy as a whole.”

The Dalmunach Distillery will not be open to visitors but will be visible from the nearby Speyside Way walking trail. Great care has been taken to ensure the external façade of the distillery is in-keeping with its surrounding environment and the traditional architectural style of the region.

Source: Chivas Brothers