The Spirits Business reported on Monday that Inverclyde distillery Ardgowan filled its first scotch whisky cask. This marks the first time a distillery in the area filled a cask since bombings from the German Luftwaffe during World War II.
“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,” said Grain and Distillery Manager Laura Davies in a statement. “Ardgowan’s ultimate goal is to revive the golden age of Scotch whisky with our long Sherry cask maturation in European oak.”
The distillery features a distinctively modern, Scandinavian-inspired design and features a recycled aluminum roof. The project cost approximately £20M ($24.6 million) to build and focuses on carbon neutrality as the endgame.
The Whiskey Wash reported that the team at Ardgowan brings over 70 years of experience within the scotch whisky world.
About Ardgowan Distillery
Ardgowan Distillery’s calling card involves its Infinity Cask program. The brand gravitates to these casks because of their capacity to mature whisky for extended periods. The majority of these casks are currently soaking up Oloroso or Pedro Ximenez sherry in a warehouse in coastal Spain.
Ardgowan still needs a bit of time before it can release whisky composed of its distillate, but the brand does mature and blend sourced whiskies on site. Sherry influence plays a critical role here, and the whiskies host a minimum ABV of 46%.
The brand features the Clydebuilt Whisky collection within its stocks, and Ardgowan selects whiskies that pay homage to the River Clyde. Within the Clydebuilt portfolio are the whiskies Clydebuilt Coppersmith, Clydebuilt Shipwright, Clydebuilt Sailmaker, Clydebuilt Riveter, Clydebuilt Anchorsmith and Clydebuilt Draughtsman. Ardgowan gravitates mostly to blended malt whiskies from different regions like the Highlands, Lowlands and Speyside. Riveter is the exception within the group, and it is a grain whisky.
Ardgowan Distillery’s original remains date back to 1896, and the distillery’s current facilities are close to the ocean, which the brand claims imbues the whiskies with maritime qualities. The updated facilities are capable of producing up to 1 million liters of single malt, according to Ardgowan.
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