Distillery visit

current role and her previous experiences in management at some of the best country hotels in Scotland. I leave my base near Stirling in Central Scotland on a beautiful sunny day and head north via the M9 and A9 before taking the A93 through one of Scotland’s finest fruit-growing areas around Blairgowrie. I continue on the A93 through another of Scotland’s jewels – the famous Glen Shee and Glenshee ski centre, passing through Braemar before turning South at Crathie across the River Dee and past Balmoral Castle. Royal Lochnagar distillery is situated just a mile or so along the banks of the River Dee beside Balmoral Castle near Crathie, half way between the villages of Ballater and Braemar which is home to the world-famous highland games. The distillery takes its name from the mountain, Lochnagar, which is a Munro (a mountain over 3,000 feet) and a target for many Munro-baggers. Crathie is only about half a mile east of Balmoral Castle and is best known for its The Lochnagar wash still association with the royal inhabitants of the with the smaller spirit still castle and for their regular attendance of in the background. Crathie Kirk, the local parish church. Many visitors are attracted to this area each year with Balmoral Castle, Crathie Kirk and Royal Lochnagar distillery and the Munro Lochnagar By Royal all being key attractions. The River Dee, which is crossed at Crathie by a bridge designed by Brunel, is also an attraction for appointment... many salmon fishermen. Distillery history The original Lochnagar distillery was built in A visit to the Royal Lochnagar distillery 1825 on the north side of the River Dee by Our correspondent Billy Mitchell continues his travels around James Robertson, a notorious smuggler. This Scotland to visit one of the smallest malt whisky distilleries – the distillery was burnt down in 1826 and Roberston relocated to a new site on the south Royal Lochnagar distillery in Lochnagar, Royal Deeside, in the of the River Dee on the slopes of Lochnagar Highland whisky-producing area of Scotland. The host for the mountain. This distillery was also burnt to the visit and tour was Site Operations Manager Jackie Roberston. ground in 1841. John Begg built the ‘new’ Lochnagar in 1845. Following the purchase of ackie started her career with Diageo as outdoors and likes nothing better than to Balmoral by Queen Victoria in 1848 and sub- JVisitor Centre Manager at Dalwhinnie spend time on the ski slopes, something she sequent visits to the distillery by Queen Distillery but realised very quickly that she can readily do from her home in Lochnagar. Victoria, Prince Albert and their three eldest was intrigued by the mystique of the produc- To her, the dynamism of the whisky industry children, the distillery received a Royal tion processes. After spells at Glenlossie and is exciting, it never stands still – except as it Warrant of Appointment to the Queen – and Cardhu distilleries, Jackie finally became matures in cask – and she shares this enthusi- became the brand now known as Royal Site Operations Manager at Royal asm by combining great whiskies with great Lochnagar. Following a period of sustained Lochnagar. She has a great passion for the food – which she can deliver from her growth and ownership by the Begg family,

34 Brewer & Distiller International • February 2015 • www.ibd.org.uk Distillery visit

Controlled Activity Regulation licence (CAR) regulated by Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) from the Scarnock Springs close to the distillery. There is no requirement for a cooling tower at the distill- ery as an abundance of cooling water is avail- able from the large supply provided via hill run-off and stored in the large pond at the dis- tillery – again this abstraction is regulated by SEPA under a CAR license.

Milling and mashing A 27 tonne delivery of malt is discharged over a 1.5 to 2-hour period into one of two malt bins of 30 tonne capacity. This malt is for- The entrance to the visitor centre and shop, One of the many attractions for the visitors as warded via grain cleaning and weighing prior which were the original farm steadings. they tour the distillery – some artefacts of a bygone era. to milling in a circa 1988 mill supplied by the distillery was acquired by John Dewar and Robert Boby of Bury St Edmonds. 5.4 tonnes Sons in 1916. John Dewar and Sons joined year, with an annual production output in the of malt is milled over a 90 minute timeframe. the Distillers Company in 1925 and followed region of 450,000 litres of alcohol. It is crucial that a grist of 20 % husk, 70 % the normal pattern of process changes and grist and 10 % flour is achieved to ensure industry consolidation and is now the smallest Raw materials mashing performance is optimised. malt distillery in the Diageo portfolio. Electrical power to the distillery is provided Each batch of 5.4 tonnes is processed Malting at the distillery ended during the via the National Grid with no requirement for through a four-water, nine-hour mashing cycle 1960s and in 1963 the distillery underwent back-up generation. Thermal energy is pro- in a small, open, traditional cast-iron mash tun major redevelopment with most of the 1906 vided by a 4.5 tonne/hour capacity Cochran with rakes and plough. The first two waters structure being removed. In 1987 the farm Thermax boiler firing medium fuel oil. are fed forward to the fermentation process via steadings was converted into a Distillery Process and instrument air is provided by the underback and after cooling to around Visitor Centre. The distillery still retains many Hydrovane compressors. 16oC, while the third and fourth waters are of the traditional techniques handed down The distillery processes lightly peated recovered as sparge for use in subsequent through the generations. It employs six opera- dried malt produced at Diageo’s malting in mashing. Wet draff removed through the tors in the production process and five staff in Roseisle near Elgin in Moray. Pinnacle dis- bottom of the mash tun is transferred to bulk the Brand Home and Visitors Centre along tillers compressed yeast is sourced under spec- storage prior to discharge to lorry and subse- with extra seasonal staff. The distillery is cur- ification from AB Mauri and stored on site at quent sale as animal feed. rently operational on a twenty-four hour basis, 4oC prior to further processing. Pinnacle distillers compressed yeast is five days per week, fifty two weeks of the Process water is sourced under a slurried with cold process water and fed into the cooled wort line during the first runnings of wort to the fermenter. There are three Oregon pine fermenters, two with a capacity of 24,000 litres, the third with a capacity of 12,000. Gravity at the start of fermentation is approximately 1069° with a declaration tem- perature of 16oC. Fermentation times range from 70 to 110 hours with a maximum tem- perature of 34oC and final wash strength of between 8.00% and 9.00% alcohol by volume (ABV). The range of fermentation time is because the distillery operates only a five day week, thus ensuring fermentations removed for distillation in the early part of the week have fermentation times well in excess of 100 hours – having been processed in the latter half of the previous week and left to ferment over the weekend. Carbon dioxide produced during the fermentation process is vented to atmosphere while any potential frothing Lochnagar’s traditional cast iron mash tun. during fermentation is dampened by use of the

From left to right: The 3.6 tonne per hour Boby mill. One of the Oregon pine fermenters with switchers in the centre of the tops to reduce foaming. The arrangements for the removal and distribution of carbon dioxide evolved during fermentation. Mashing in progress.

Brewer & Distiller International • February 2015 • www.ibd.org.uk 35 Distillery visit

are slightly descending and the vapours from both the wash and spirit distillation are con- densed in copper worms held within the hot cast-iron worm tub. This hot condensation process along with clear worts, efficient fer- mentation and resting of stills delivers the light, green, grassy character of the new-make product. This is then cut to 63.5% ABV prior to on-site filling. The total distillery produc- tion is filled on site. The reduced spirit receiver and filling The spirit filling operation at Royal arrangement. Lochnagar is a very old traditional process Some of the facilities available on-site to where empty casks are weighed prior to filling support the training and development and weighed again after filling on the old cali- programme of ‘The Malt Advocates’. brated Avery scales. The majority of casks resources, finance, central engineering, techni- filled are ex-sherry butts. Pot ale, spent lees cal support and general risk and compliance. and cleaning in place (CIP) washings are all spread to land on the local farm under license The whisky from SEPA. The distillery has a stated annual capacity of some 450,000 litres alcohol per annum and is The distillery the smallest of Diageo’s Scottish distilleries. Within the Diageo portfolio, the distillery, The whisky is highly prized by the blenders although small in production output, is a key and supports the high-value blended whiskies site for producing a brand which supports in Diageo’s portfolio. It is also marketed as a The Avery scales for tare and gross weighing some of the very high-value blended whiskies, 12-year old single malt at 43% ABV from the of the casks. boasts a very successful Visitor Centre with Highland region, often being referenced as over 15,000 visitors per year and is a key “subtle and freshly woody” on the nose with a central switchers. One mash feeds one fer- facility used to support the in-house malt “dry to bitter, pleasantly acidic” palate. menter and one fermenter is processed over advocates course. This is an excellent facility Smaller bottlings in the Rare Malt Series, four wash still runs. where, on average, ten marketeers from Distiller’s Edition and Manager’s Choice have Diageo undergo an intense training course on also been released over time. The distilling process all aspects of the whisky production process As you take a walk round this beautiful There are just two stills at Royal Lochnagar. prior to taking this knowledge to their respec- distillery located below the Munro Lochnagar The wash still has a capacity of 6,000 litres of tive markets on a worldwide basis. There are you soon realise that it is more than just a dis- fermented wash and, as already stated, each some wonderful facilities available on this site tillery and visitor centre – it is steeped in the fermenter is processed over four wash still to support this key learning activity. best and oldest traditions of Scotch whisky runs. The four batches of low wines recovered The majority of operations in the produc- production. It sits beside the main Scottish in the wash distillation are combined together tion process are manually controlled by the holiday residence of the royal family and is and distilled in one run of the spirit still – operators with only CIP processes in distilla- situated among some of the best holiday loca- which has a capacity of around 5,000 litres. It tion controlled automatically. It is also impor- tions in the country and has a plethora of takes over 14 hours to distil the fermented tant to recognise the challenge these operators wildlife in the woods, skies and waters around wash and around three and a half hours for the face when you consider the seasonal changes the distillery. Depending on the time of year spirit run. These run times provide periods of in the local environment – local temperatures you may see deer, highland cattle, red squir- air resting of the stills during normal produc- at the distillery can reach -20oC in the depths rels and capercaillie on the land and in the tion and significant air resting over the of winter and + 300 C in the heights of woods around the distillery. In the skies, you weekend when the distillery is silent – allow- summer – and manually controlling the can marvel at the flight of ospreys, golden ing active regeneration of the copper surface process within these extremes of temperature eagles and heron – and watch the fish jumping area within the stills and worms. These air to deliver a consistent product of the required in the River Dee and waters around the area. rests are crucial in ensuring distillation condi- character shows off the key crafts and skills of This is a must visit for those keen to learn tions are optimised to produce the target spirit the operators and leadership team. These crafts and appreciate the character. The spirit cut is between 75% and and skills have been developed over many history of whisky – 61% ABV with the average charge strength of years and handed down from operator to oper- you may also bring 68% to 70% ABV. The lyne arms on the stills ator. the family with you The key areas of compliance on site are as they will take health and safety, Her Majesty’s Revenue and equal enjoyment in Customs and the generic Diageo risk-and- the surrounding compliance programme, which are all sup- countryside ported by a management system approved to while the the ISO 9001 Quality Standard. The six opera- whisky con- tors cover a three shift, five-day production noisseur takes process and there is sufficient capacity within full advantage the operator hours to provide additional of a tour of this resource on a day-shift basis to carry out other famous distill- essential process work. These include an oper- ery and small ator asset care programme supporting the dram of the AMIS engineering standard and the standard product to maintenance platform. complete a Boiler house and chimney; the thermal driving The Diageo office in Elgin provides central memorable force of the distillery. support to the local team in the areas of human visit. n

36 Brewer & Distiller International • February 2015 • www.ibd.org.uk