NORR was commissioned by the Chivas Brothers to design a new distillery in Speyside. The site was formerly host to the Imperial Distillery, one of the more famous whisky producers, but was demolished in 2013. Incorporating old and new technology, the new facility uses the same spring water supply used previously by the former building. Employing the latest heat recovery technology, Dalmunach is the most energy efficient distillery in the Chivas Group and one of the most energy efficient in the world. NORR’s unique design has a configuration of 8 stills arranged in a circle around the spirit safe, optimizing the view from the control desk and creating a stunning and memorable still house. The idea behind the build was to reflect the core ingredients of Scotch whisky; malted barley and water. The building is split into three major parallel components that resemble three heads of barley offset by the adjacent Lochan (small lake) representing the water.Internally the Dalmunach Distillery comprises of eight copper, tulip and onion shaped pots, replicating those that stood before them in the old Imperial building. The Still House is contained in a distinctive glazed structure, looking out onto the Lochan and providing a distinctive feature next to the site entrance. The distillery was opened by Nicola Sturgeon and praised nationally for its distinctive and stunning architecture.