Linkwood Distillery: History, Owner, Range and Visitor Guide
Updated: 2 days ago
Linkwood is a Diageo distillery on the edge of Elgin that has been making whisky since the 1820s. Well over 90 per cent of it goes into blends, and it has a famous story about a manager who would not let anyone clear the spiders' webs. Here is its history, its owner and the facts of how it runs.
In this guide
Summarise this guide with AI
Linkwood at a glance
At a glance | Linkwood Distillery |
|---|---|
Location | Elgin, Speyside |
Founded | 1821, Peter Brown; production began 1824 |
Owner | Diageo |
Character and heritage | Delicate, fragrant floral and fruity malt known for its role in blends |
Regular public visitor access | Not normally open to public visitors. |
Bottle information | Some named official expressions, with availability dependent on market |
Share your Linkwood whisky experience
Have you tried Linkwood, explored its bottles or visited this area of Scotland? Expand the highlighted community poll below to answer four quick questions. The results help shape future Whisky Clan whisky reviews and distillery guides.
TAKE THE LINKWOOD COMMUNITY POLL · 4 QUICK QUESTIONS
Answer four quick questions to see real reader percentages. No account or email is required.
The story, ownership and production of Linkwood
Where is Linkwood distillery?
Linkwood is on the outskirts of Elgin in Moray, in the Speyside region. Water comes from springs near Millbuies Loch, according to The Single Cask.
Linkwood history: from Peter Brown to Diageo
Linkwood was built in 1821 by Peter Brown, who managed the Linkwood estate. Distilling began around 1824. The Single Cask describes a farming loop: estate barley was distilled, the draff fed his cattle, and the cattle manured the next crop.
1821: Peter Brown builds the distillery with two stills. Production starts around 1824.
1868: Brown dies and his son William takes over.
1872 to 1873: William Brown, with the architect Methven, builds a new distillery on the same site.
1898: the Linkwood-Glenlivet company is created and floated on the stock exchange.
1902 to 1932: Innes Cameron is managing director. After his death the company is sold to Scottish Malt Distillers, later part of The Distillers Company.
1941 to 1945: the distillery closes because of a wartime barley shortage.
1962: the distillery is rebuilt under manager Roderick Mackenzie, electrified, with every still replaced by an exact replica.
1971: a second distillery, Linkwood B, is built alongside. Combined capacity reaches 2.5 million litres a year per Wikipedia.
1985 to 1990: the distillery is mothballed, with partial production restarting in 1990.
2008: Diageo resumes full production and three official bottlings are released.
2011 to 2013: the older buildings are largely demolished and the modern plant extended.
2024: Linkwood Woven Honor is released through Diageo's Orphan Barrel Whiskey Co.
Roderick Mackenzie, who ran Linkwood until 1963, is remembered for forbidding staff to remove the spiders' webs in the rafters, in case the whisky changed. The Single Cask tells the story as distillery folklore.
Who owns Linkwood?
Linkwood is owned by Diageo. It has been part of the Distillers Company lineage since the early 1930s.
How Linkwood is made
These details come from The Single Cask's guide and are approximate. Capacity figures differ: Wikipedia gives 2.5 million litres a year, while The Single Cask quotes around 5.6 million after the 2012 to 2013 expansion.
Stills: six since the expansion, three wash and three spirit.
Fermentation: around 75 hours, which is long by industry standards.
Malt: unpeated.
Mash: about 12.5 tonnes per mash in a lauter tun.
Fill strength: the spirit is filled to cask at 63.5% ABV.
Linkwood range
The only regular official single malt is a 12 year old in Diageo's Flora and Fauna range, whose label shows the swans that live on the distillery dam. The 2024 Woven Honor release and occasional special editions sit outside it. Most Linkwood bottled as single malt comes from independent bottlers. The Single Cask says it has bottled Linkwood sixteen times and names Gordon and MacPhail as another source.
Linkwood and blends
Almost all Linkwood goes into blends. The Single Cask names Johnnie Walker, and says White Horse and Bell's have been historic customers.
Visiting Linkwood
Linkwood has no visitor centre. It is a working production site and is not open to the public.
Diageo Malts: malts.com
Linkwood whisky bottles and key expressions
The comparison covers identifiable official bottles plus any explicitly labelled historic or special releases. Availability and exact cask details may vary by market and edition.
Whisky Clan records these documented expressions for comparison. A historic or special edition is not necessarily available to purchase today.
Bottle or expression | Age or release | ABV | Producer information |
|---|---|---|---|
Linkwood 12 Year Old Flora & Fauna | 12 years | 43% | Official Flora and Fauna malt |
A closer look at Linkwood 12 Year Old Flora & Fauna
Whisky flavour, casks and tasting notes
Delicate, fragrant floral and fruity malt known for its role in blends. The precise aromas and flavours depend on the individual bottle, cask and age. These are distillery style observations, not original Whisky Clan bottle tasting scores. We only publish a personal rating once we have reviewed that whisky.
Where can you buy Linkwood?
Check the individual source pages listed below and reputable whisky specialists or auctioneers for historic releases. Prices and distribution can differ across the UK, the US, Europe, Canada and Australia. Historic catalogue listings do not confirm current stock.
Visitor information
Not normally open to public visitors.
More distilleries in Speyside Scotland
Discover other producers in the same region.
Help us improve this distillery guide
Have a verified correction, a bottle release or a primary source to share? Use the form below to help improve Whisky Clan's distillery reference. Newsletter subscription is optional.
Frequently asked questions about Linkwood
Where is Linkwood distillery?
Outside Elgin, in Speyside.
Who owns Linkwood?
Diageo.
When was Linkwood built?
1821, with distilling from around 1824.
What is the official Linkwood bottling?
The 12 year old in Diageo's Flora and Fauna range.
Is Linkwood peated?
No. The malt is unpeated.
Sources, image credits and official links
Official Diageo pages could not be loaded for this update, so current ABVs and visitor details are not confirmed there. Cover photo from Wikimedia Commons.
Featured image: original Linkwood distillery photograph from the Whisky Clan Wix media library. Attribution and correction requests are welcome.
About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
Comments