Brae Distillery Celebrates 200th Anniversary

Brae Distillery, the oldest working distillery in the glen, will mark its bicentenary on Saturday 5 July with a weekend of celebrations. Founded in 1823 by Donald Mackenzie, the distillery has been in continuous production through two centuries, surviving wars, recessions, and the changing fortunes of the whisky industry.

Two Hundred Years of Craft

The anniversary weekend will feature guided tours of the original still house, where the copper stills installed in 1958 remain in daily use. Master distiller Iain Campbell, who has worked at Brae for thirty-one years, will lead a special tasting of rare single cask releases drawn from the distillery’s oldest warehouses.

“My grandfather worked here, my father worked here, and I have spent my whole working life here,” said Iain. “The water still comes from the same spring on Beinn Ghlas. The barley is still malted the traditional way. Two hundred years on, we are making whisky the way Donald Mackenzie intended.”

A Weekend of Events

Saturday’s programme includes a reenactment of the original founding ceremony, live folk music in the distillery courtyard, and a craft market showcasing local artisans. A commemorative bicentenary bottling — limited to two hundred bottles — will be released at noon on Saturday, with proceeds donated to the Glenbrae Community Fund.

Sunday features an open-air service at the distillery gates, followed by a community ceilidh in the village hall. All events are free, though tours require advance booking through the distillery website.