Diageo has officially opened its new £40m Scottish distillery three years after work on it began.
The 3,000m² Roseisle malt distillery in Speyside has 14 copper stills and a production capacity of 10 million litres of spirit a year. Liquid produced at Roseisle will be used in Diageo Scotch whisky blends from 2012.
Diageo said the distillery is part of its £600m investment in Scotland and is the first of scale to be opened in Scotland for more than 30 years.
Chief executive Paul Walsh declared the distillery open and Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment, was present on behalf of the Scottish Government.
"Roseisle distillery is a great source of pride to everyone at Diageo," said Walsh. "It gathers all the skill and knowledge we have built up over centuries in distilling whisky and combines it with the highest quality design possible, to create a stunning new distillery.
Managing director of Diageo Scotland Bryan Donaghey added: "This official opening is a true celebration of the fantastic expertise and knowledge that we have in our business. It is also part of a major capital investment programme which Diageo has been rolling out across Scotland and clearly signals our confidence in and commitment to Scotland and Scotch whisky."