CHIVAS Brothers, the Pernod Ricard-owned whisky company, is gearing up for the reopening of its Scottish distilleries.
Speyside distilleries The Glenlivet and Aberlour and Scapa distillery in Orkney will open their doors from July 29, followed by Strathisla distillery near Keith on August 7.
Temperature checks, hand sanitiser stations and social distancing signage have been implemented across each of the sites; face masks will also be available in the distilleries however customers are urged to bring their own. Customer details will also be gathered on arrival to the distilleries and stored for 14 days in line with NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect system.
Gordon Buist, production director at Chivas Brothers, said: “After four challenging months, we’re delighted to be able to reopen the doors to our brand homes to give visitors the chance to safely enjoy our whiskies and the beautiful surroundings in Speyside and Orkney.
“We’ve been privileged to support our local communities in Scotland during the pandemic – including producing and distributing thousands of litres of hand sanitiser as NHS Scotland’s first pro-bono supplier – and so continuing to support them by opening responsibly and safely is our number one priority. We have been working closely with our local Speyside and Orkney communities to enable us to take significant steps in implementing these strict social distancing and sanitation measures in our visitor centres as well, ensuring we’re able to welcome visitors safely, protect our colleagues and neighbours, and support Scottish tourism.
“Whether a discerning drinker or discovering drams for the first time, the team and I look forward to welcoming visitors safely back to our homes to uncover more about our rich Scotch heritage.”
