Bookings go live at The Cairn Distillery   

The wait is finally over for the local community and whisky lovers with The Cairn Distillery opening its doors to the public from Monday 17^th October.  

From today, bookings can be made online for visitors to experience the first new distillery to be built in the Cairngorms National Park for more than a century.  

Moray based family business, Gordon & MacPhail first unveiled their plans for a distillery at Craggan, near Grantown-on-Spey, in 2018, with planning permission granted in 2019.  

Managing Director at Gordon & MacPhail, Ewen Mackintosh, explained: “After many years of preparation, planning and construction we look forward to finally opening the doors to members of the public, and in particular the local community, who have been so supportive since the project was first announced.    

“Having secured such a beautiful and awe-inspiring location overlooking the River Spey towards the Cairngorms, we wanted to create a building which complements the majesty of the environment.  We are delighted with the result, and we look forward to sharing it with visitors from all over the world.”  

The new distillery aims to build on Gordon & MacPhail’s 127-year heritage of producing exceptional Scotch whisky to inspire future generations. With magnificent views of its stunning location just outside Grantown-on-Spey, visitors can choose from a selection of immersive experiences, each culminating in a whisky tasting in The Discovery Room. With floor-to-ceiling windows, the room provides a stunning backdrop for visitors as they taste the future today: blended malt whiskies created to give a sense of notes, flavours and aromas that will be seen in the character of single malts that will be released from The Cairn Distillery in the 2030s.  

These sherry cask-matured, unpeated expressions are being released under the new CRN57 brand (the distillery sits on 57 degrees latitude from the equator), with 70cl bottlings available exclusively to those who tour the distillery. The oldest expression in the CRN57 range, a 70-Year-Old, is presented in a stunning crystal decanter and is the oldest blended malt whisky in the world.  

Nestled on the banks of the river Spey on the northern frontier of the Cairngorms National Park, every detail of The Cairn Distillery has been considered to create a remarkable structure that is reflective of its environment. From its sedum roof which encourages insect life to thrive, to the Caithness stone pathways, every aspect is designed to respect the natural shapes and colours around it. Reforestation projects are also underway to encourage native species and particular care has been taken to encourage the local population of rare goldeneye ducks.  

Food is also exclusively available to those who take a tour at The Gathering which offers tapas-style plates of the finest Scottish produce designed as the perfect accompaniment to an experience like no other.  

Open seven days a week all year round, visitor experiences start at £25, with three options available:  

THE EXPLORER EXPERIENCE (£25 / approx. 60 mins) 

Visitors learn about the 127-year journey from 1895 to The Cairn opening its doors followed by an awe-inspiring film about its stunning location. A trip around the spirit production process is then followed by an absorbing foray through the art of maturation before tasting  

drams of the CRN57 12-Year-Old, and 18-Year-Old blended malts, available nowhere else in the world.  

THE ADVENTURER EXPERIENCE (£60 / approx. 90 mins) 

Designed for visitors with that extra sense of adventure, this experience follows in the steps of the Explorertour, but also includes a dram of the 25-Years-Old blended malt as well as several dishes prepared to complement the whisky at The Gathering using locally sourced produce of exceptional quality.   

THE VOYAGER EXPERIENCE (£350 / 120 mins) 

Reserved for those willing to push the boundaries of exploration, Voyagers undertake a full, far-reaching whisky expedition rounded off by a very special tasting experience.  

Voyagers are personally guided around the production process by our distiller, on hand to explore every detail, with extended time for questions. In the Discovery Room, Voyagers are able to enjoy all six drams from the full CRN57 range, from 12-Years-Old up to 70-Years-Old. A full range of small dishes from The Gathering are also available. (Driving packs available for those unfortunate enough to be behind the wheel).

Tickets for the Explorer and Adventurer experiences can be booked online at thecairndistillery.com. Those wishing to go the extra mile and enjoy the Voyager experience should email info@thecairndistillery.com or call 01479 816543 

and arrangements will be made to their specific requirements, subject to availability.    

 To book your trip to The Cairn Distillery, please visit: thecairndistillery.com 

Notes 

Gordon & MacPhail is a family-owned premium spirits company based in Elgin, Scotland. Owner of Scotch whisky distilleries, Benromach and The Cairn, Gordon & MacPhail is also a Scotch whisky maturation expert, the owner of Scottish Gin brand, Red Door and the operator of a wholesale business in the United Kingdom selling premium Scotch whiskies and spirits, along with a high-quality retail outlet.   

The company owns Benromach Distillery located in Forres in Moray.  Benromach Single Malt Scotch Whisky is handcrafted using traditional methods by a small team of distillers using the finest Scottish barley and the purest spring water from the nearby Romach Hills. The multi award-winning portfolio of single malts is enjoyed by whisky drinkers worldwide.  

The company launched Red Door in the summer of 2018. Created at Benromach Distillery, this award winning, small batch Scottish gin now forms a strategic part of the company’s product portfolio.   

Work commenced in July 2020 on The Cairn, the company’s second distillery, overlooking the River Spey towards the Cairngorms.  The new site will add further distillation capacity and brand ownership to the company’s asset base and is a key part of the plans to continue building a long-term sustainable business.  A high-quality visitor experience offering tours and tastings will also attract visitors from around the world.   

Since the founding of the business in 1895, Gordon & MacPhail has sent casks to Scotch whisky distilleries throughout Scotland to be filled with new-make spirit, before being left to mature for many years either at the distillery or in their bonded warehouses in Elgin.  The Gordon & MacPhail portfolio offers some of the world’s rarest and most sought-after Single Malt Scotch Whiskies to discerning whisky drinkers globally.   

The company’s wholesale business serves customers throughout the United Kingdom selling Benromach Single Malt, Red Door gin and Gordon & MacPhail whiskies into the on and off trade. The business also exclusively represents a number of ‘distributor’ brands and stocks premium whiskies and spirits.   

The retail shop in Elgin remains the ‘spiritual home’ of the business, 127 years after it was first established in 1895.  The shop is home to a large selection of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies and is a destination for many whisky aficionados from around the world.