Suntory Global Spirits has submitted a planning application to expand their Laphroaig distillery on Islay. The plans involve works that would increase production and improve the visitor experience at the well loved distillery.
New equipment will be at the heart of their attempt to increase production. The number of stills increased from seven to eleven, and 12 new washbacks will also be installed.
Additionally, the plans also reveal their intention to restore the distillery’s original ground floor maltings. Currently the distillery’s visitor centre is housed in the building previously used for this part of the production process.
There haven’t been many details released regarding the plans for the new visitor centre, with the main note being that it will be relocated to a more suitable part of the site to enhance the visitor experience.
Fans will also be reassured to know that the iconic, original shoreline buildings will remain the same. Any new construction will take place inland.
The plans were recently submitted to Argyll & Bute Council following a local community consultation forum last August. Feedback from this session has led to some of the plans being reduced in scale. For example, the new stillhouse is said to be smaller than originally planned.
One notable amendment was changing the plans for a loop access road. These changes are intended to lower the distillery’s vehicle footprint and improve access around the distillery. Laphroaig already attracts 29,000 visitors a year, and the hope would be to increase this number without distressing the area’s existing transport infrastructure.
The proposed expansion is part of Suntory’s plans to “future proof” the distillery. Indeed, it could be argued that this investment and redevelopment is overdue; Laphroaig hasn’t significantly increased its production capacity since new stills were introduced in the 1970s.
As Craig Martin, general manager of manufacturing operations at Suntory said: “Laphroaig Distillery has not benefited from transformative investment for over 100 years, and we want to improve its attractiveness to visitors, whilst boosting its production capabilities and sustainability outputs.
“The significant level of investment proposed from Suntory Global Spirits will unlock the next chapter of Laphroaig’s legacy, and importantly, underlines our commitment to our long-standing presence on Islay and the island’s rich heritage.”
At the time of writing there is no expected time scale for the project, though if the plans are approved they hope to start in Spring 2025. Due to the scale of the expansion, the work is expected to take place over a number of phases. It is also hoped that normal operations, including production, will be unaffected by the construction.
Laphroaig is one of Islay’s most historic names; in fact, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say it’s one of the most legendary Scotch whisky brands in general. It’s encouraging to see a large multinational group such as Suntory show such commitment to the distillery.
