Chivas Brothers, has today announced plans for its first distillery
on the isle of Islay.
The distillery which will be located on Gartbreck Farm,
west of Bowmore at Saltpan Point on the shore of Loch Indaal, will focus on single
malt production, celebrating the region’s distinctly smoky and peated profile.
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| Chivas announces plans for its first distillery on Islay |
The new distillery marks the first time Chivas Brothers will introduce an Islay whisky to its Scotch portfolio, rounding out its offering of globally recognised malts and blends which include The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Chivas Regal and Ballantine’s.
The land purchase signals Chivas Brothers’ long-term intent
to become part of the fabric of Islay, as it has been for decades through
Speyside and the surrounds.
A leader in sustainable Scotch, Chivas Brothers has an
ambitious goal to be carbon neutral in distillation across all of its sites by
the end of 2026. In alignment with this target, design of the Islay project –
and any future new-build distillery – will be carbon neutral in distillation
from inception.
Commenting on the news, Jean-Etienne Gourgues, Chairman and
CEO at Chivas Brothers, said: “This is an important new chapter in the Chivas
Brothers story. The introduction of an Islay whisky completes our comprehensive
and award-winning Scotch portfolio. As a business built on hundreds of years of
heritage, it also gives us the opportunity to do something we rarely do, which
is to start from scratch. Here on Islay, we can create a blueprint for carbon
neutral distilling and continue to usher in this era of sustainable Scotch. We
are committed to Scotch, to the Islay community and the landscape that makes it
the perfect place to continue our vision to shape the future of whisky.”
Full plans for the site and the distillery name will be
revealed in due course.
Posted by Steve Rush