Diageo to Close Clynelish Visitors Centre

Just three years after investing in a complete renovation, Diageo has decided to shutter the visitors centre at Clynelish Distillery in the Scottish Highlands.

In a statement, 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. We can confirm that these proposals are unrelated to distillery operations, where production will continue.”

Clynelish is one of the “Four Corners” of Johnnie Walker, Diageo’s flagship Blended Scotch Whisky, and the renovation connected the visitors centre with its counterparts at Cardhu, Glenkinchie, and Caol Ila distilleries, in addition to the Johnnie Walker Experience in Edinburgh. The £185 million package of upgrades at many of Diageo’s visitors centres was expected to take advantage of the boom in Scotch Whisky tourism. Diageo’s spokesperson also noted that changes are being discussed for other visitors centres, without providing specifics.

The distillery opened in 1969, across the road from Brora Distillery. Brora reopened two years ago after being closed since 1983, and has a visitor centre of its own.

Under the leadership of new CEO Sir Dave Lewis and CFO Nic Jhangiani, Diageo has been on a cost-cutting tear. The company has idled Teaninich Distillery and paused production at its Roseisle Maltings plant in Scotland, while also halting production at several of its distilleries in the United States until mid-2026. Diageo is also closing its Crown Royal bottling and blending facility in Amherstburg, Ontario, next month in a move that has drawn threats of a Crown Royal boycott by Ontario Premier Doug Ford.