Cameronbridge, Europe’s largest grain distillery, is also its oldest, with a rich history tied to two influential but often overlooked whisky-making families, the Haigs and the Steins. The Haig distilling legacy dates back to 1655 when Robert Haig faced church discipline for distilling on a Sunday. In 1751, his great-great-grandson, John Haig, married Margaret Stein, whose family operated distilleries at Kilbagie and Kennetpans.
Four of their sons became distillers, establishing their own operations in Scotland and Ireland. The youngest, William Haig, founded Kincaple and Seggie in Fife, while his eldest son, John Haig, established Cameronbridge in 1824. During this period of innovation in whisky production, John adopted his cousin Robert Stein’s pioneering patent still technology in 1829, originally developed at Kilbagie. This was later enhanced by Aeneas Coffey, whose improved design was also implemented at Cameronbridge.
By the 1880s, the distillery was equipped with Stein, Coffey, and pot stills. Though much larger in scale, Cameronbridge continues to use the Coffey still design today. In 1865, John Haig joined a coalition of grain distillers that, in 1877, became the Distillers Company Limited (DCL), dominating Scotland’s grain whisky production. Over time, DCL evolved into Diageo, and Cameronbridge became its primary grain distillery after the closure of Port Dundas in 2010.
Cameronbridge has also diversified its production, manufacturing Gordon’s and Tanqueray gins and Smirnoff vodka since 1998. A £40 million expansion in 2007 further enhanced its capacity. Notably, it was one of the few grain distilleries to market its own brand, Cameron Brig, which remains in production. In 2014, it gained new prominence as the source of whisky for Haig Club, a single grain brand launched in partnership with David Beckham and Diageo.
