Residents from the village of Carbost on the Isle of Skye are taking on an international drinks giant and its plans to expand production facilities on the island.
In October last year, Diageo unveiled their plans to demolish their Talisker distillery and entirely rebuild the facility. The new site would have increased production capacity and plans indicated the incorporation of sustainable technology into the new facility. The proposal also included road improvement and landscape works.
Following public consultation events in November 2024 and February 2025, Diageo formally submitted their application to the Highland Council in June this year. Earlier this month these plans were again open to public consultation.
It has since been revealed that the plans received 50 negative comments from locals who oppose the project. A common theme in the complaints was that the scale of the project would be “disproportionate” to the village of Carbost and the surrounding area.
Other concerns highlighted the impact the new facilities would have one jobs. Diageo is already a major employed on the island, employing 45 staff during peak times at Talisker.
One resident highlighted how, despite production capacity set to be increased, no new jobs will be created by the expansion. Another said that the addition of new, modern technology could actually lead to a reduction in the Talisker workforce.
With the rebuild set to last five years, locals also expressed concern about the “disruption and nuisance to the local community” during the construction phase, most notably the increased levels of traffic, excessive noise and pollution.
Among the dissenting voices, there were a few residents who showed support for the project.
One local said that Talisker desperately needed modernisation, saying that the building is “not fit for modern use.” Another added that the 5-year long project would bring regular income to the village during construction.
Finally, some argued that the new facility wouldn’t be as much of a blight on the landscape as some residents were suggesting. For example, Diageo’s plans indicate that the new distillery building would not block existing views of the local loch.
However, there were said to be only eight supportive comments, which - when compared to the 50 objections - suggests Diageo’s new project isn’t entirely popular among the local community.
A spokesperson for Diageo did not comment on consultation, only saying: “We continually review our production footprint in support of our long-term growth ambitions for Scotch whisky. We have recently submitted a full planning application to Highland Council for the expansion of Talisker Distillery following a period of public consultation.
“At this stage, we do not have definitive investment plans and will continue to explore and evaluate the options available to us.”
Time will tell whether the objections and concerns of Carbost residents will be enough to make Diageo reevaluate their plans for the iconic Isle of Skye distillery.
