Drinks giant Diageo has proposed the closure of the visitor center at its Clynelish Distillery in Brora, Scotland. The move, which will result in an undisclosed number of job losses, comes just four years after a multi-million-pound refurbishment of the facility, though whisky production at the distillery will continue.
Clynelish is one of the Four Corners distilleries for the Johnnie Walker brand.
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A Diageo spokesperson said: “Following a recent review, we have proposed changes to our visitor centre operations, which regretfully, includes a proposal to close the visitor centre at Clynelish.”
“We are currently engaging with and supporting colleagues as part of this process,” the spokesperson added.
They also confirmed the proposal is “unrelated to distillery operations, where production will continue.”
The potential closure comes amid a wider downturn for the premium Scotch whisky sector, which is facing global economic pressures, including US tariffs on exports. In recent times, distilleries such as Glenglassaugh (which moved to a shared production model with BenRiach in January 2025), InchDairnie, and Rosebank have all experienced harships and subsequent restructuring plans.
Diageo invested in a major revamp of the visitor experience at Clynelish only four years ago, spending £185 million (US$258m) on upgrading their visitor experiences across Scotland.
At Clynelish, this project added a new upper floor with an interactive exhibit, a tasting area, and a new whisky terrace bar.
Jamie Stone, the Lib Dem MP for Caithness, Sutherland, and Easter Ross, called the announcement “extremely disappointing,” on X, and stated that he is seeking a meeting with Diageo.
As reported by The Northern Times, he said: “A visitor centre such as this is a vital part of the tourism product that we offer in the Far North,” he said. “Without this, we are the poorer.”
Stone is seeking a meeting with Diageo to discuss the proposal.
The plan for Clynelish is part of a wider review, even as Diageo has invested over US$232 million (£185m) to transform its distillery visitor centers across Scotland.
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