Family-owned Ian Macleod Distillers in partnership with The Islay Boys, have shared an update on the progress of their new single malt whisky distillery, Laggan Bay, on Islay.
Laggan Bay is the twelfth whisky distillery on Islay, the Hebridean island famed for its peaty whiskies. The distillery is under construction and due for completion in 2025, when the first spirit will flow from its handmade copper pot stills.
Although full details are still under wraps, Ian Macleod Distillers has ambitious plans for the new distillery. The company’s portfolio includes premium spirits brands Glengoyne, Tamdhu, Edinburgh Gin, and the soon to be re-opened Rosebank.
The new distillery is a partnership with The Islay Boys, whose newly completed brewery sits next to the distillery at Glenegedale, close to Islay’s beautiful Laggan Bay.
Leonard Russell, Managing Director at Ian Macleod Distillers Limited, said, “I am delighted to be partnering with my friends, The Islay Boys, to build Laggan Bay distillery.
"It’s a very exciting project, which will allow us to offer a brand-new Islay single malt before the end of the decade."
As part of the company’s commitment to sustainability, The Laggan Bay Distillery will feature wetlands to manage its liquid waste and provide a haven for local wildlife.
Ian Macleod Distillers’ sister distillery, Glengoyne, north of Glasgow, was the first Scotch whisky distillery to have wetlands to manage its waste, and was recognised with a Green Tourism Gold Award in 2023.
The company is also working with the Islay Energy Trust and Scottish Power to explore renewable energy options and has committed to green flame energy to reduce its carbon emissions.
Further details will be released later this year, and visitors to Islay’s 2024 Fèis Ìle will be able to see the plans and the soon-to-be-completed Warehouse 1.
If attending the 2024 Fèis Ìle festival, further information on the distillery will be available at The Islay Boys’ brewery - Islay Ales Co Ltd. at Glenegedale opposite the distillery site.
