The Macallan Becomes First Scottish Distillery to Secure Wildlife Estates Scotland Accreditation

Press Release

A whisky distillery has become the first in Scotland to achieve accreditation under an international wildlife and habitat recognition scheme.

The Macallan Estate, a 485-acre landholding and home to The Macallan Distillery, has been accredited by Wildlife Estates Scotland, the national version of the European Wildlife Estates initiative.

Wildlife Estates Scotland accreditation is regarded as the gold standard for integrated land management, recognising landholdings where biodiversity, conservation and best practice are embedded across day-to-day operations.

There are now 55 accredited landholdings in Scotland, covering more than 322,000 hectares - an area equivalent to over 450,000 football pitches. Commitment to WES is increasing year on year, with an additional 26,500 hectares accredited since January 2025. Scotland is now second out of 19 participating countries in terms of total land accredited.

The River Spey, which flows through The Macallan Estate, supports a range of important wetland habitats and species. Environmental designations are in place to protect wild Atlantic salmon, freshwater pearl mussels, otters and sea lamprey.

While distillery buildings, warehousing and offices form a significant part of the estate, substantial areas of land are carefully managed to support and enhance biodiversity. New approaches around the built environment have delivered visible conservation gains, complementing a wider landscape of established native woodland, younger planting and hedgerows that provide important wildlife corridors.

The restoration and realignment of the Burn of Ringorm, including the removal of historic mill structures, has reopened the waterway for fish and delivered measurable ecological benefits.

At the same time, a move towards regenerative agriculture - including cover crops, reduced cultivation, lower pesticide use, restored field boundaries and natural wildflower margins - is helping to rebuild soil health following years of intensive farming.

This estate-wide approach to working with nature is reflected in The Macallan’s five-year Ecosystem Restoration Plan, which is now being delivered by the estate team.

In achieving accreditation, The Macallan Estate recorded the second-highest score ever achieved by a new Wildlife Estates Scotland accreditee.

Chas Jamieson, Estate Manager at The Macallan Estate, said: “Achieving this award reflects the knowledge, research and skills within our small team, and the hard work and dedication they show in delivering our sustainability objectives through The Macallan Estate’s dedicated Ecosystem Restoration Plan. This aligns with Edrington’s global sustainability targets.”

Neil Gunn, Wildlife Estates Scotland Project Manager, said: “The Macallan Estate has shown that world-class whisky production and world-class land management can go hand in hand.

“This accreditation recognises the estate’s clear commitment to biodiversity, habitat restoration and best practice across a highly varied landscape, from the River Spey and Burn of Ringorm to its farmland, woodland and wildlife corridors.

“The work being delivered through the Ecosystem Restoration Plan, including regenerative agriculture, woodland creation and river restoration, is already producing meaningful conservation gains.

“To achieve the second-highest score ever recorded by a new Wildlife Estates Scotland accreditee is a remarkable endorsement of that progress and demonstrates the ambition and commitment of the estate team.”