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Ardgowan
Distillery fills its first cask, marking
a historic milestone for Inverclyde.
Independent
Scotch whisky producer Ardgowan
Distillery Company is now in production,
the distillery has filled its first cask
with new make spirit, marking a major
milestone following the completion of
its distillery build earlier this month.
Founded in 2017, the west coast business
is led by whisky entrepreneur Roland
Grain and Distillery Manager Laura
Davies, who together bring over 70 years
of combined industry expertise. Their
shared vision is now realised in a
striking new facility, which blends
tradition with innovation in both design
and purpose.
The distillery features a bold
Scandinavian longhouse-inspired design
and a distinctive roof made from 97%
recycled aluminium. Built with a strong
focus on sustainability, the site
incorporates green technologies such as
Thermal Vapour Recompression (TVR) to
recycle heat waste—part of Ardgowan’s
broader commitment to achieving carbon
neutrality.
Following eight years of development,
planning and construction the first cask
filling took place ahead of the
distillery’s official Opening Day, held
on Friday 20th June 2025. This marks the
first new distillery to open in
Inverclyde in over 100 years—the last
was destroyed during the Greenock Blitz
on 7th May 1941.
Significant investment has been made in
Ardgowan’s signature Infinity Casks—oak
casks seasoned with sherry for three
years before use, intended for long-term
maturation of 18 years or more. These
casks form a key part of the
distillery’s commitment to producing
high-quality, distinctive Scotch whisky
for future generations.
Commenting on this major landmark, Grain
shares: "After a lengthy build, the team
and I are thrilled to now be in full
production and filling casks with our
own distillate, including private casks
for our Clan Ardgowan members.
Ardgowan’s ultimate goal is to revive
the golden age of Scotch whisky with
long Sherry cask maturation in European
oak.
"Our commitment to quality is
demonstrated by investing millions of
pounds in our signature Infinity Casks
years before the distillery was built.
These bespoke oak casks were created
exclusively by renowned Bodegas Miguel
Martín and Macallan’s former Master of
Wood Stuart MacPherson. Producing whisky
is all about time and patience, so, as
we fill our first casks and open the
site to the public, we look forward to
steadily perfecting our Single Malt in
the years to come."
While not yet open, Ardgowan
Distillery’s visitor centre is set to
launch later this summer, offering a
range of experiences designed for both
whisky newcomers and seasoned
enthusiasts.
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