The firm said it intends to build a ‘state of the art’ facility in the Speyside region. Full details of the plans, including location and design, are yet to be revealed.

Patricia Dillon, managing director, said: “Last year was challenging for us, as it was for most businesses dealing with Covid-19. With our industry also facing the added problem of US tariffs, we have had to change our strategy to find new and innovative ways to drive our business forward.

“In 2019 we committed to increasing our distillate to meet rising demand, and this year we are producing five times our normal rates.”

She continued: “Our plans for a new distillery will ensure that we can continue to distil the quantities of whisky required, while also allowing us room for further expansion.

“Although our full plans – including location and design – are currently under wraps, we’re looking forward to sharing more as they unfold over the coming months and years.”

Chief executive John Harvey McDonough is confident that this is the perfect next step for the SPEY brand and his Harvey family legacy.

He said: “Building a new distillery is obviously a major commitment, and we are incredibly excited about the opportunities it shall bring for our single malt whisky brands.

“In recent months we have brought in two new team members – Martin MacLeod and Raymond MacKay – to assist long-serving employee Andrew Scorgie and distillery manager Allan Findlay, which will allow us to maintain the levels of production required to match demand.

“It’s important to us that we continue to embrace experience and history within the whisky industry, while also continuing to innovate and nurture new talent to ensure its bright future.”