Thieves who knew what they were looking for targeted Speyside distillery Glenfarclas, stealing within four minutes somewhere between £100,000 to £150,000 worth of whisky (estimates have varied depending on source).

The break-in happened at Glenfarclas distillery, near Ballindalloch, in the early hours of Sunday, according to the BBC.

The firm said it was “horrified” that valuable bottles including a 60-year-old malt were stolen, after cabinets with strengthened glass were smashed.

Glenfarclas production manager Callum Fraser told BBC Scotland that staff were upset about what had happened.

“They obviously knew exactly what they were looking for,” he said. “They made their way straight to our cabinet that holds our most expensive whisky.”

Police in Scotland have asked people to be on the alert for anyone trying to sell whisky at low prices.

Photo: Glenfarclas Distillery