Chivas Brothers, the Pernod Ricard business and maker of Chivas Regal and Royal Salute, is extending its visitor centre experiences with the opening of its first guest house, Linn House, this week.
The Victorian manor in Keith, on the banks of the River Isla, dates back to 1870 and was designed by Robert Kynoch-Shand. Chivas have renovated the manor with “rustic-chic interiors inspired by Chivas Brothers’ distilleries across Scotland”. It is available to reserve in blocks of either six or 12 bedrooms, with both options offering sole occupancy of the house.
Focusing on whisky lovers, it includes access to a permanent whisky library and fine dining prepared by its resident Chef. The whisky library has a selection from the Chivas Brothers portfolio including Single Malt whiskies from The Glenlivet, Aberlour and Scapa, as well as blended whiskies from Chivas Regal, Royale Salute and Ballantine’s.
Jacques-Henri Brive, Head of Brand Advocacy and Prestige Acceleration at Chivas Brothers spearheaded the project in response to the growing demand for luxury whisky experiences from global consumers. It also follows a recent report from the Scotch Whisky Association signalling whisky tourism has become the #1 attraction for visitors to Scotland in the last 12 months with more than £85m spent in total at sites across Scotland’s five whisky regions, up 90% since 2010 (SWA, 2022).
Brive said, “Linn House represents an opportunity for us to encourage global consumers to connect with the region in which many of our iconic whiskies are made. Just as a luxury fashion brand has an atelier, or a boutique perfumer has its by-invitation salon; the heart of our whiskies lies here in Scotland. As demand for whisky expands around the world, more consumers are intrigued to discover and explore our heritage. Linn House is an extension of our brand homes, affording anyone who visits the luxury of time: to rest, to indulge and to enjoy all that the region has to offer. It is our ambition that Linn House becomes a destination hospitality offering here in Speyside.”