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The new Lagg
Distillery on the south side of the Isle
of Arran is now welcoming visitors.
The new Lagg Distillery located on
the south side of the Isle of Arran has officially opened its doors to the
public and is now welcoming visitors.
Distilling at Lagg actually got underway
earlier this year when Lagg Cask Number
One was filled on Wednesday 10th April and
following completion of the state of the art
building, which they tell me focuses on
the visitor experience throughout, they
are now welcoming visitors to the
distillery.
I am told that its spanning visitor centre includes a
shop, an interactive video showcasing
Arran’s whisky history as well as a café
and restaurant which will provide food
and drink with ingredients sourced from
the exceptional range of local produce.
 The facilities contain two new copper
stills and four wooden washbacks within
the same room, allowing visitors the
opportunity to be guided through every
stage of the whisky journey.
The site brings whisky making back its
traditional heartland on the South of
the Isle of Arran, sitting on the most
Southern point of the island, boasting
stunning views from Ailsa Craig across
to Campbeltown.
Throughout the visitor experience
Arran’s unique place in the story of the
nation’s favourite spirit is explored,
with frequent references to past
distillation in the South of the island,
both legal and illicit.
Isle of Arran Distillers initially
announced the project plans in 2016 to
deal with ever-increasing visitor
numbers to the island and continuing
growth in whisky tourism throughout
Scotland. Construction at the distillery
subsequently began in February 2017.
Lagg is the first new distillery on the
island since the opening of Isle of
Arran Distillers’ original site in
Lochranza, which opened in 1995. It is
expected that the total visitor numbers
to both sites will increase to over
200,000 by 2020.
The independently owned distillers’
commitment to local people and
businesses will continue to be upheld
at the new site, with 22 members of
staff employed across both the visitor
centre and the production facilities,
all of which are island based.
Whisky production at Lagg commenced
earlier this year, as the first middle
cut of spirit was recorded on Tuesday
19th March 2019. This spirit is expected
to mature into a rich, smoky,
heavily-peated (50ppm) Lagg Single Malt
which will be very different in
character to what the distillers
currently produce at their original
distillery in Lochranza.
Production will be overseen by
Distillery Manager, Graham Omand, an
Islay native who has spent the past
eight years at the Lochranza distillery,
and Master Distiller James MacTaggart,
who has over 40 years of experience in
the industry.
Omand, Distillery Manager at Lagg
Distillery, said: "We’re all thrilled to
be celebrating the opening of our
spectacular new Lagg Distillery and to
bring production back to the heart of
whisky-making on the Isle of Arran.
"It’s an outstanding achievement from
everybody that was involved in the
process and something that people on the
island and beyond can be very proud of.
"The whole team here is passionate about
bringing Arran’s fascinating whisky
story to life and to give it the
recognition that it deserves. We can’t
wait to start writing the next chapter
of this story and welcoming
whisky-lovers from around the world to
Lagg."
The first cask of what will become Lagg
Single Malt, ‘Cask Number One’, has been
reserved for members of the Lagg Cask
Society, formed of individuals who have
purchased casks of Lagg spirit.
Over half of the 700 first fill casks
available for purchase from the
distillery have already been sold.
However whisky lovers can still be part
of the exciting story of the Lagg
Distillery, by purchasing one of the
remaining casks for sale, and becoming
members of the Lagg Cask Society
I haven't been over to Arran for quite
some time so perhaps this is the excuse
I need and hopefully I can find time to
squeeze in a visit this summer and if
you are interested in visiting yourself
then Lagg Distillery is open daily from
10am - 6pm with tours running regularly
at: 10am, 11am, 12pm, 2.30pm, 3.30pm and
4.30pm.
For more information, or to book a tour,
please contact
bookings@laggwhisky.com or
call +44 (0)1770 870565
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