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Royal Brackla distillery

Feel a touch of nobility and luxury in this magnificent Royal Lochnagar Distillery, which is one of the royal suppliers to the court . It is located near Balmoral Castle, the summer residence of the British Queen. Taste the fine wine from the Speyside region in a stylish ambience.

Royal Brackla factsheet

Name Pronounced AKA Region Country of Origin
Royal Brackla Brackla Highlands Scotland
Status Active Whisky Type Website Tours Available
Active 1812 - Present Malt Royal Brackla Not Available
Manager Distiller Blender Owned by Parent Group
Stephanie Macleod Bacardi

Royal Brackla Timeline:

1812: Said to have been founded by Captain William Fraser of Brackla on the Cawdor Estate near Nairn

1817-18: Operating

1821-37: W. Fraser

1835: Royal Warrant granted by William IV as a token of his appreciation of the whisky

1839: William Fraser & Co.

1850s: Royal warrant renewed by Queen Victoria

1851: Operating

1852-67: Robert Fraser

1882-98: Robert Fraser & Co.

1898: Aberdeen wine and spirit merchants rebuilt the Distillery

1898: Reconstructed as the Brackla Distillery Co. Ltd.

....: Sold to John Mitchell & James Leict of Aberdeen

1926: Acquired by John Bisset & Co. Ltd., a blending firm Royal Brackla became a key ingredient in Bisset’s Finest Old and Gold Label

....: John Bisset & Co. Ltd., Aberdeen secured a feu charter

1943: John Bisset & Co. Ltd., Aberdeen sold the company to Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd. (SMD)

1964: Stills became steamheated

1965-66: Distillery renovated and new maltings were built

1970: Extended from two to four stills (1980 mentioned as well)

1985: Distillery closed

1990s: Owned by Diageo plc/United Distillers (UD)

1991: Distillery reopened

1992: Licensed to John Bisset & Co. Ltd.

1998: Sold to John Dewar’s & Sons Ltd. (owned by Bacardi) after merge United Distillers (UD) with International Distillers and Vintners (IDV)

1999: Owned by John Dewar’s & Sons Ltd.

2004: Owned by John Dewar’s & Sons Ltd.

Can I tour Royal Brackla?

No, unfortunately Royal Brackla distillery is not open to the public for tours