Linkwood and Mannochmore malt whisky distilleries near Elgin have both undergone expansion in the past year as part of the company’s £1billion investment programme to expand Scotch whisky production capacity in Scotland.
The investment by Diageo at these two distilleries totals around £14million. Both distilleries are now operational and the expansion work has been completed.
Mike Jappy, Diageo’s investment project director, said: “Both Linkwood and Mannochmore are important distilleries for Diageo, producing high quality single malt whisky for our world-leading blended Scotch whisky portfolio.
“Speyside is at the heart of Diageo’s distilling business and we look forward to progressing the next phase of our investment programme with further expansions in the next twelve months.”
At Linkwood the expansion involved an investment of almost £5million and included the creation of a new building to house six new washbacks and two new copper stills, adding around 50% to the distillery’s annual production capacity.
At Mannochmore distillery £9million was invested to build a new stillhouse, 8 new washbacks, a new mashtun and two new copper stills, doubling the annual production capacity.
Linkwood and Mannochmore are part of a broader investment programme by Diageo on Speyside, with work also progressing on the construction of a new bio-energy plant at Glendullan near Dufftown and plans are scheduled to expand Mortlach distillery also near Dufftown.
These developments build on recent Diageo investments in Speyside totalling in excess of £40m, including distillery expansion and upgrade projects at Linkwood, Mannochmore, Glendullan, Dailuaine, Benrinnes, Inchgower, Cragganmore, Glen Elgin and new bio-energy plants at Dailuaine & Glenlossie.
