The Royal Lochnagar Distillery opened as New Lochnagar in 1845 (named after the nearby Munro). In 1848, founder John Begg invited Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to visit the distillery from nearby Balmoral Castle. The monarchs developed quite a taste for this Aberdeenshire malt and the distillery was renamed Royal Lochanagar. The distillery is situated within the Queen's Balmoral estate and is one of the smallest of Diageo’s 28 Scotch malt whisky distilleries.