Founder John Hopkins felt Speyside, in northeastern Scotland, was the ideal spot to produce high-quality whisky. While the region was already famous for its distillates, Hopkins brought a new spirit of innovation to the region that remains in place even today. The secret for the extraordinary velvety texture of his whisky reflects the clear and pure water of the Granty Burn, a tributary of the Spay river. He commissioned famed architect Charles C. Doig with the difficult task of erecting a distillery that worked with the landscape, not against it. The experienced architect proved himself well worthy of the task and Hopkins' trust.