Royal Lochnagar

In 1845, John Begg built his "New Lochnagar" distillery on the south bank of the River Dee – well aware that two previous buildings on the same site had already been destroyed by arson. Three years later, he gained prominent new neighbours: Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had acquired nearby Balmoral Castle as their summer residence.

Begg invited the royal couple to visit – with the polite request that they be punctual. Victoria and Albert duly arrived on time and were so taken with the sample dram that the Queen appointed Begg royal warrant holder the very next day. "New Lochnagar" thus became "Royal Lochnagar". With Royal Lochnagar 12 Year Old, you will find the core bottling of this only officially royally endorsed whisky distillery in our selection.

Why did John Begg have to start from scratch twice over?

As early as 1823, James Robertson had built a distillery called "Lochnagar" nearby, which was destroyed by arson – as was its successor building, erected in 1841. It was only in 1845 that John Begg secured a long-term lease on the site on the south bank of the River Dee and founded "New Lochnagar" there.

How did a courtesy visit turn into a royal title?

In 1848, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had acquired nearby Balmoral Castle as their summer residence. Begg, aware of Albert's interest in mechanical matters, invited the royal couple to visit his distillery – on 12 September 1848, Victoria, Albert, and their three eldest children duly arrived. The whisky impressed the Queen so much that she issued a royal warrant for the ongoing supply of the royal household the same day or the day after. After Begg's death in 1882, his son Henry took over the distillery, and his children had the site completely rebuilt in 1906. In 1916, Royal Lochnagar passed to John Dewar & Sons, who became part of the Distillers Company Limited (DCL) in 1925 – today's malt is a key component of the premium blend Johnnie Walker Blue Label, among others.

The most popular bottling at a glance

1. Royal Lochnagar 12 Year Old
The official core bottling of the royally endorsed distillery.
Taste: Very soft, mild, and balanced with delicate malty sweetness.
Serving suggestion: An elegant introduction to the Eastern Highlands.

Facts and figures

Founded: 1845 by John Begg. Royal warrant holder since: 1848. Owner: Diageo. Notable: the only distillery with the official "Royal" designation.