ARDGOWAN REVEALS NEW DESIGN FOR ITS NEW £12M DISTILLERY

Ardgowan Distillery, has today revealed ambitious designs for their new £12 million distillery, which is being built on the Ardgowan Estate near Inverkip, 30 miles west of Glasgow.
 
The new design, by Michael Laird Architects, brings a number of improvements on the original proposal and will sit alongside the distillery’s visitor centre which will be housed in existing buildings on the Bankfoot site.

Ardgowan reveals new design for its new £12M distillery

The first phase of the distillery incorporates two copper stills and six timber-clad washbacks, with a planned output of 1 million litres per annum. Future output can be doubled via the addition of two further stills plus washbacks in an already-approved second phase.
 
Last month the distillery released its first whisky, a 600-bottle run of Ardgowan Expedition 20 Year Old, a premium blend of malts containing whisky which has been to the South Pole. Ardgowan plans to follow this with a series of limited-edition malts, priced at around the £50 mark, next year.
 
Commenting on the news, Martin McAdam, Chief Executive at the Ardgowan Distillery, said: “This is a state-of-the-art, modern distillery which not only looks fantastic, but will reduce our environmental impact wherever possible. Our architects have worked closely with civil engineers Blyth & Blyth and process designers Briggs of Burton to create a striking distillery which fits well in the landscape and uses heat recovery and closed loop cooling to reduce energy use and water consumption, whilst the extensive use of glass means visitors will get a clear view of the bright airy interior.”

The new distillery which will resurrect the name of the Ardgowan Distillery, which was originally founded in 1896, was granted full planning permission in March last year.

Posted by Steve Rush

IRISH DISTILLERS HAS ANNOUNCED PLANS TO INVEST €150M IN ITS CORK AND DUBLIN SITES

Irish Distillers, has today announced that it will be investing over €150 million in its sites in Cork and Dublin, to meet the growing demand for its Jameson and other Irish whiskey brands.

The plans include expanding and upgrading its distillery in Midleton, and the construction of eight new maturation warehouses, at its site in Dungourney, Co. Cork.

Midleton Distillery

Over €20 million of the investment will be used to upgrade its Fox and Geese bottling site in Dublin, including extensions to the main operating bottling hall and storage warehouses.

The company has also added an additional mechanical vapour recompression evaporator, made by GEA Wiegand in Germany, to its Midleton Distillery in East Cork. The addition allows the distillery to further expand its capacity.

Commenting on the news, Conor McQuaid, Chairman and CEO of Irish Distillers, said: “This €150 million investment in Midleton, Dungourney and Fox and Geese reflects the growing international success of Irish Distillers’ whiskey portfolio. With a tradition dating back to 1780, we have been distilling in the Midleton Distillery since 1975 and we are delighted to confirm our commitment to this tradition, and at the same time continue to embrace progress, delivering new and innovative expressions of Irish whiskey. We look forward to building upon our success story by continuing to bring innovative Irish whiskeys to the market.”

He went onto say: “Irish whiskey is the fastest growing premium spirit in the world, with sales now accounting for more than one third of all Irish beverage exports. This investment will help to allow this growth to continue for years to come. The company is proud to play its role in the Irish drinks industry, which is a hugely important part of the Irish economy.”

A third mash filter and new fermenters are also to be installed at the Midelton distillery, to meet the increasing demand for its portfolio of whiskeys. The distillery will also complete construction of a new office building in July 2019.

Posted by Steve Rush

JOHHNIE WALKER TO OPEN ITS FIRST FLAGSHIP EXPERIENCE STORE IN MADRID

Diageo, has announced that it will be opening its first Johnnie Walker flagship experiential store, in Madrid, this November.

The flagship store will house a special collection of Johnnie Walker whiskies and host a wide variety of immersive experiences, whisky appreciation classes and tastings designed to help visitors explore the world of Johnnie Walker blended Scotch whisky.

Johnnie Walker to open its first flagship experience store in Madrid

The Spanish capital was selected as the location for the first Johnnie Walker experiential retail flagship due to its status as a leading tourism and retail destination and the popularity of Scotch in the country.

The brands first flagship store, will feature an interactive hosting area where guests can discover the craft of cocktail making, a tasting table where they can deep dive into the flavours that lie at the heart of Johnnie Walker, and a personalisation station where visitors will be able to find gifts and add bespoke engravings and labels to their purchases.

Alongside the extensive portfolio of Johnnie Walker whiskies, visitors will also be able to purchase some of the rarest and most exceptional single malts from which the award-winning Scotch is crafted and explore limited edition curated collaborations, exclusive to the store itself.

Commenting on the news, Cristina Diezhandino, Global Category Director Scotch and Reserve Brands, said: “The direct-to-consumer Johnnie Walker experiential retail flagship is the latest step in our ambition to bring unique experiences to consumers through our brands. We know that people want their shopping experiences to be straightforward and easy but they also want them to feel personal and engaging too. By offering a retail space which combines interactive experiences with the diversity and rich heritage of Johnnie Walker, we hope to offer something new and exciting that will really delight people.”

The launch of the new retail experience follows the announcement of a £150 million investment in Scotch whisky tourism by Diageo throughout Scotland - including plans for the opening of a new state-of-the-art Johnnie Walker visitor experience in Edinburgh, as part of the biggest concerted programme ever seen in Scotland’s whisky tourism sector and is the latest announcement from Johnnie Walker as the brand prepares to celebrate its 200th anniversary year in 2020.

Posted by Steve Rush