A single malt Scotch whiskey distillery, Royal Lochnagar is situated on the Abergeldie Estate, close to Balmoral Castle in Royal Deeside. The peak Lochnagar lies nearby. The distillery is located in Scotland's Highland whiskey region. The distillery is authorized by the royal court. Early in the 19th century, James Robertson of Crathie constructed the original Lochnagar distillery. But in 1824, it burned down under mysterious circumstances. According to legend, unlicensed competitors erected a second and third replacement distilleries, which were both destroyed by fire again in 1826 and 1841, respectively. The 'new' Lochnagar distillery, which served as the foundation for the distillery in use today, was established and constructed by John Begg in 1845. When John Begg persuaded Prince Albert to visit the distillery from nearby Balmoral Castle, the Queen's home in the Highlands, the distillery received its Royal Warrant in 1848. The next day, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their three eldest children paid a visit to the distillery. After Queen Victoria's visit, the distillery was christened Royal Lochnagar three years later. Up until the latter half of the 20th century, the distillery advertised its whiskey with the tagline 'Take a peg of John Begg.' Up until 1902, when it changed to becoming a private limited company, the distillery was still directly owned by the family. In 1916, DCL bought the business. The facility was powered by a steam engine and waterwheels up until 1963. Royal Lochnagar, the smallest whiskey distillery in Diageo's portfolio, is now leased by the company from the Abergeldie Estate. The old farm and steadings, constructed of Aberdeenshire granite stone, are still mainly present on the current site.