Scotland’s Ardgowan Distillery recently unveiled plans for its new distillery and visitor center, with construction starting next year.
Ardgowan officials state that the new design uses low environmental impact composite cladding, timber and steel materials to create a light-filled, modern Nordic long hall.
The building is designed to provide an energy efficient distillery and to offer a visitor experience that incorporates a glass-walled “sky platform” with views of the surrounding nature.
Ardgowan already pledged that the new distillery will be carbon negative and contractors are working with specialist distillery engineers Briggs of Burton to ensure their flagship building is up to date with the latest innovations in energy reduction, heat recovery and carbon capture.
Last summer, Ardgowan Distillery confirmed the Inverclyde project would go ahead following new investment of £8.4 million led by principal investor Roland Grain and additional investment from Distil Plc.
Depending on the planning process, the company is looking for the distillery to be operational in 2023.
Commenting on the proposal, Grain said in a prepared statement, “My passion for whisky began as a teenager in Austria when I began to collect Scotch whisky, and my wish is for this project to create the highest possible quality whisky and a lasting connection to the community in Inverclyde.
“This modern Nordic long hall is pointing skyward, symbolizing resurrection and our rise from the ashes of the former Ardgowan Distillery, which burned down in the Greenock Blitz in May 1941 … and also our ambition to become one of the top whiskies in the world,” Grain said. “I hope it will stand out as a ‘cathedral to whisky’ and put this corner of Inverclyde firmly on the tourist map.”
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Ardgowan Estate is less than an hour’s drive from Glasgow and in 2019, the area saw more than 100,000 cruise ship patrons visit. “So I believe there is a great opportunity to draw people here with a first-class food, drink and retail experience,” Grain added.
Distillery CEO Martin McAdam said this project will be a major boost to the local economy, both during construction and in operation.
“We estimate the distillery and visitor center will create up to 47 new jobs within five years. We have already made our first local hire – our Production Coordinator Matt Blair is from Greenock – and we will be advertising construction tenders early next year. We have a strong commitment to employing locally. Our goal is to build a world-class whisky distillery and visitor center which will attract tourists and bring economic and social benefits to Inverclyde.”
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