The Cragganmore distillery, whose name means “big rock”, is located between Grantown-on-Spey and Aberlour near Ballindalloch in the Speyside. John Smith, who had previously gained experience at Glenfarclas and Macallan, built the distillery in 1870 directly on an existing railway line that no longer exists today and is part of the Speyside Trail. Since this whisky was very popular from the start, it was largely used for blends. The Cragganmore distillery is now part of the Diageo Empire.