This distillery was built by John Begg in 1845. Three years later the royal family at the time toured the distillery. That tour is said to be the first ever distillery tour in the histry of Scotch whisky. A royal warrant was also granted to Lochnagar distillery and ever since it became known as Royal Lochnagar.
The distillery operated successfully and without incidents until 1916 when it was sold to John Dewar & Sons ltd. That group became part of Distillers Company Limited (DCL). These days it is the smallest distillery in Diageo's portfolio.
The style of Royal Lochnagar is defined by its usage of clear wort and a long fermentation of at least 60 hours. The distillation is very slow to maximise reflux and produce a light spirit.