A 19th Century farmhouse will be home to the new distillery, which will see malt whisky production resume in its “birthplace” for the first time in 170 years.

The farmhouse will also be home to a future heritage centre, thanks to £3.5 million funding. The centre will showcase the intricacies involved in creating malt whisky, The Press and Journal reports.

Cabrach Distillery will operate as a social enterprise, with future revenues supporting the Cabrach Trust’s regeneration mission. Barley will be sourced from adjacent fields which will maintain a commitment to sustainability.

Grant Gordon, founder and chairman of the Cabrach Trust, hopes the new distillery will regenerate Cabrach as a “thriving and sustainable community”.

Mr Gordon said: “Having laid this stone, it represents a critical milestone for the trust and we look forward to embarking on this exciting next chapter in the Cabrach story.”