Newtonmill, Threshing Mill

Explorer Tom Glencadam Distillery has been making whisky in Brechin since 1825, and in 2025 it finally invited the rest of us in for a proper look. There is a working waterwheel, two roof ventilators and a visitor centre; if the building wears a party hat, it has earned one after two centuries. The distillery still makes single malt, and owner Angus Dundee Distillers says its traditional methods remain central to the work. The new visitor centre opened in November 2025, bringing guided tours, tastings and an exhibition about the place and its people. That is a welcome change from pressing your nose to a gate and pretending you can identify a whisky by the shape of its chimney. You can see a working business and learn how the drink is made, with the makers retaining the last word. The visitor building has a stone front made using material from the former Brechin Infirmary. Its internal waterwheel recalls the original wheel used in 1825, while the two ventilators above the entrance nod to Charles Doig’s 19th-century designs. I like a building that can tell you its age without acting old: here, a wheel and a pair of clever roof shapes do the boasting, while the stills carry on with the less glamorous business of earning it. The distillery is in Brechin, Angus. The owner announced tours on Thursday through Monday and a shop open daily when the centre launched; check Glencadam’s current booking page for today’s times and a place on a tour. If you want a tasting, plan how you will travel before lifting the glass. Come for the whisky but leave knowing why this Brechin workshop has lasted so long.