Linkwood distillery

Linkwood distillery stands beside the River Lossie in Elgin, Moray, within the Speyside region famous for its single malt Scotch whisky. The original buildings date from 1821, when Peter Brown set up two small stills. A larger distillery replaced it in the 1870s under his son William Brown, with architect Methven’s help. Scottish Malt Distillers later took charge and rebuilt the site again in the early 1960s under Roderick Mackenzie. Today the distillery is owned by Diageo, the drinks giant that keeps the stills running. The site’s long history shows in its changing stills and growing capacity. From 4 500 litres a year in 1825 it rose to 227 000 litres by 1873, then doubled again before World War II. After wartime closure it reopened in 1945 and was fully refurbished in 1962. A second distillery, Linkwood B, joined in 1971, lifting combined output to 2.5 million litres annually. Diageo restarted full production in 2008 and added a new single malt in 2024. Visitors find the distillery’s working heart still shaped by Mackenzie’s 1960s rebuild. The stills, electrified long ago, stand beside the newer steam-heated ones of Linkwood B. Warehouses hold casks maturing beside the River Lossie’s banks. The site’s quiet charm comes from its blend of Victorian stone and modern equipment, all focused on creating a single malt recognised across the Speyside region.