The Macallan New Distillery and Visitor Experience in Scotland opens

Today (22nd May 2018) the Macallan Distillery and visitor experience in Speyside, Scotland, opened its doors.

Designed by RSHP for client Edrington, the new Macallan distillery and visitor experience is set into the landscape of the estate that has been distilling the world’s leading single malt since 1824. As one of the world’s most prestigious whisky makers, Macallan sought a new facility that could showcase its production process and warmly welcome visitors while respecting the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape. The new building by RSHP is designed to enhance production capacity and facilitate future expansion.

As Speyside is designated an Area of Great Landscape Value, the distillery and visitor centre had to be highly sensitive to its immediate environment. Gillespies was commissioned to help maximise the aesthetic beauty of the building and approach routes while reducing their visual impact on the landscape.

The new building is set within a Scottish Grassland meadow. Inside, the production cells are arranged in a linear, open-plan layout that simultaneously reveals every stage of the whisky-making process. This arrangement is mirrored above by a gently undulating roof crafted from a timber grid shell. The roof is topped by 3,620 square metres of grass roof, designed by Gillespies. The grass-covered peaks of the roof rise and fall with the natural contours of the estate, signalling the activities within to approaching visitors. The design, integrated into the site's sloping landscape, pays homage to ancient Scottish earthworks.

The roof features a custom blend of grasses and wildflowers, incorporating naturally occurring species to seamlessly integrate with the surrounding meadow landscape while enhancing biodiversity and counteracting the decline of grassland habitats in Scotland.

The guest experience begins upon arrival at the historic site, where Gillespies designed a choreographed approach using berms and planting to both shield and reveal views of the distillery. This design echoes the 18th-century planning of the estate. The approach serves as a microcosm of the essential natural elements—rock, barley, and wood—integral to the formation of The Macallan Whisky. Visitors are guided past barley fields and an oak arboretum along a natural stone path that leads to the front door. This processional entrance walkway, carved into the slope, re-establishes a symbolic and physical connection to the 18th-century laird’s house at the heart of the estate.

Before visitors even enter the building, the landscape creates an immersive and enchanting experience, hinting at what lies beyond.