New Chivas distillery opened by Sturgeon

The new distillery, which is Chivas Brothers’ fourteenth operating malt whisky distillery, is named Dalmunach after the nearby pool in the River Spey on whose banks the distillery sits.

The distillery is capable of producing up to 10 million litres of Speyside style spirit per year. It houses eight 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 until 2012.

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.

“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.”