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Glencadam Distillery in Brechin has unveiled the team to lead the red-carpet welcome at its new state-of-the-art visitor centre.

The company is putting the finishing touches to the milestone development in what is its bicentenary year.

Michael van der Veen has been unveiled as brand home manager, and Lauren Oliver his deputy, to enhance the visitor centre’s offering.

Both Michael and Lauren bring with them a wealth of experience in the whisky industry.

Glencadam said they will play a pivotal role in shaping an unforgettable experience at the Brechin destination.

Michael has more than 25 years’ experience within the hospitality sector.

He joins Glencadam from the Kingsbarns and Darnley’s distilleries in Fife where he was visitor experience manager.

The Netherlands native also previously held food and beverage and customer experience roles at prestigious private members’ clubs Skibo Castle and the Eden Club, as well as the five-star Links House at Royal Dornoch.

Michael said: “I love working in whisky and Glencadam’s values resonate deeply, with a true appreciation for the rich heritage and craftsmanship behind the brand.

“As part of an independently-owned business, this role gives me the opportunity to help shape a truly immersive, memorable experience as we let visitors into the heart of what makes Glencadam truly special with 200 years of stories, substance and soul to uncover.”

Lauren has over a decade of experience working in distilleries across the Highland and Speyside.

She takes up the Brechin role from her post as visitor experience manager at Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery on the Angus coast.

“Having spent over a decade immersed in the world of Scotch, I’ve developed not just a deep technical knowledge, but an ever-growing passion for sharing the story of the ‘water of life’,” she said.

“It’s an exciting chapter for the whisky community but also the entire Angus community as we prepare to open up the world of Glencadam.”

Glencadam is one of Scotland’s oldest working distilleries, handcrafting its single malt in a process unchanged for two centuries.

The new visitor centre features a dedicated exhibition space showcasing the history of the distillery and its surroundings.

It will also house a retail space and tasting rooms, as well as a whisky lounge, café and function suite for corporate hospitality and private hire.

Owners Angus Dundee Distillers started work on the Brechin project in spring 2024.

In 2021, a working water mill was installed at the heart of the distillery.

The visitor centre also features pagoda roofs inspired by the original distillery design of pioneering Scottish distillery architect Charles Doig.

This article appeared in The Courier on 23 September 2025