New distillery stakeholders raise a glass to key construction milestone

A topping out ceremony has taken place to mark a key milestone in the construction of The Cairn Distillery at Grantown-on-Spey.

Hugh MacKay, 1st year apprentice from AB Masonry, and Mhairi Winters, distillery manager, placed a bottle of whisky in a cavity in the stonework to mark the completion of external construction.

The Cairn is a second distillery for Gordon & MacPhail, a family firm based in Moray.

Planning permission for the distillery was granted in 2019 and work started on site once Covid restrictions on construction were lifted in July 2020.

Morrison Construction has been main contractor on the project.

Opening to the public later this year, The Cairn Distillery overlooks the River Spey towards the Cairngorms. It will offer a selection of visitor experiences, whisky tastings and selected gifts. Features include a ‘green’ sedum roof which was recently installed.