Man drowns himself in a vat of whisky at world famous Scottish distillery

A man has killed himself by leaping into a vat of whisky at the Glenfiddich Distillery.

Brian Ettles, 46, drowned after he threw himself inside the 50,000-litre tank.

Paramedics and firefighters were called to the scene but the father-of-two died inside the wooden vat on Saturday.

The Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, Banffshire in Scotland, which was closed today after senior distillery worker Brian Ettles leapt into a vat of whisky and died

It is believed the incident in Dufftown, Banffshire, took place the day after Mr Ettles’ wife Irene had celebrated her 54th birthday.

Family members were last night too distraught to speak about the tragedy as the distillery was closed for the second day running in tribute to Mr Ettles, who lived in nearby Keith.

Neighbour Eileen Mackenzie, 67, said: ‘I am just really shocked.

‘It’s such a horrible way for someone to go and most people I have spoken to are really quite upset about it.

‘He was just a young man and I have no idea what might have made him want to take his own life in such a way.’

As well as his wife, Mr Ettles also leaves daughter Julie, 25, and 21-year-old son Stuart.

Good stuff: Glenfiddich is the world's best-selling single malt whisky

He had a senior role at the distillery, where he had worked for 23 years.

The alarm was raised at around 10.40pm on Saturday, at which point it was hoped a rescue operation could still be launched to save Mr Ettles.

But he died inside the tank, known as a washback, which is used in the early stages of the distilling process.

A Glenfiddich spokesman said: ‘We decided to close as a mark of respect for the person who died. Our thoughts go out to his family.’

A waitress at The Commercial Hotel in Dufftown said Mr Ettles had been in the bar over the festive period.



She added: ‘Brian had been in a few times for food and a pint after he finished work.

‘Nobody here really knew him that well because he lived in Keith, but he seemed like a nice enough man. We are all really shaken up that he has died.’

A spokesman for Grampian Police said: ‘There are no suspicious circumstances.’

Glenfiddich is the world’s best-selling single malt whisky.

