Prince Charles visits Diageo-owned Scotch distillery near Balmoral

Prince Charles has spent the last two months visiting charities and community projects in Scotland and the north of England, managing to fit in two distillery tours on the way.

HRH with Ewan Andrew (Diageo Director) and Sean Phillips (Distillery Manager) with the cask that will be bottled on his 70th birthday. (Photo: Mike Wilkinson…16/10/2018)

Charles toasted the news of a new royal baby on a royal visit to Balmoral, Scotland, where he met staff at the Royal Lochnagar Distillery on Tuesday 16 October,

The Prince of Wales was able to taste a rare single malt Scotch whisky that was laid down 30 years ago as a gift, straight from the cask. A cask of Royal Lochnagar was laid down for the royal when he paid a visit to the distillery in 1988 on the 140th anniversary of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert paying a visit to the Scotch producer.

Charles has donated the cask to be bottled and sold, with the funds earmarked for his charity, The Prince’s Foundation. Lochnagar will also contribute to the Foundation by Scotch whisky education to trainees on the charity’s Get Into Hospitality programme — which helps young people earn skills to work in the industry.

Ryan Cromar, senior operator at the distillery with HRH filling a new cask. (Photo: Mike Wilkinson…16/10/2018)

Charles was also able to fill as cask of his own on the trip, which will be bottled on his 70th birthday.

The distillery, owned by Diageo, is the smallest of the company’s 29-strong portfolio of Scotch distilleries. Much of its whisky is released as single malt, although it is also a key component of high-end blended whiskies, such as Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

Diageo director Ewan Andrews said: “As we pass on one cask, we are pleased that The Duke of Rothesay filled a new cask that will continue the charitable legacy and support further good causes.”

This is not the first time Charles has successfully combined work with pleasure. The prince was in Northumberland to meet volunteers for Elderberries — a local charity which tackles loneliness in the community, last September.

On the same day, he also took a trip to Morpeth for a tour of the Moorland Spirit Company’s Hepple Gin distillery, where the company has started a juniper restoration and propagation project.

Earlier this year, Prince Charles made his first official visit to Australia in 24 years and included another Diageo-owned drinks maker on his trip with a return visit to the Bunderberg Rum Distillery.