The Spirits Business reported on Jan. 22 that a scotch whisky brand within the Brown-Forman portfolio, The Glendronach, paused its expansion plans due to conflicts with a Scottish energy company.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) objected to Glendronach’s intention to build two new rickhouses, a pump house, sprinkler tanks, and infrastructure to support the new additions. SSEN claimed that the land was part of its Beauly to Peterhead (BBNP) plan since February 2023.
According to The Spirits Business, Glendronach intended to build a warehouse atop a 19,600 square-meter plot of land just 2.2 miles away from Glendronach’s main campus. The project would interfere with SSEN’s goals.
“With regards to the proposed Class 6 Distillery Warehouses’ impact on our transmission line, its design and layout configuration does not set aside any land within the red line to accomodate the required delivery of our propsed new 400kV overhead transmission line route following SSEN Transmission’s completion of a comprehensive optioneering and routing process,” a letter read.
The letter went on to claim that it could not support The Glendronach’s plans to develop the site, claiming it interfered with the company’s “nationally significant” BBNP project.
Other News for The Glendronach
Though the news of the stalled expansion project is not the best for the Highland distillery, The Glendronach is celebrating its bicentennial this year.
In preparation for its 200th Anniversary, the brand unveiled two extended-age single malts with 30 and 40-year age statements, according to Forbes in September.
In August, Glendronach teamed up with a composer named Rob Lewis to create a piece of music designed to pair perfectly with its 12 year old Scotch whisky. The process was called “sonic seasoning,” which is actually supported by science, according to a 2010 study.
“I wanted to create a piece that not only connects with our sense of hearing, but also evokes a feeling of touch,” Lewis, the composer, expressed. “The crunch of the gravel in the dunnage warehouse, the sensation of running your hand across the casks. Every sound captured in the distillery was manipulated and woven into the piece.”
As for what else is in store for The Glendronach this year, we haven’t heard of any other releases just yet — but we’re sure the Brown-Forman-owned brand has a bunch of surprises planned for the year.
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