Bruichladdich to double production

Scotch distillery Bruichladdich is “on track” to double its output after being granted planning permission to build six new maturation warehouses on Islay.

Bruichladdich doubled its global sales in the year to 31 March (Photo: Bruichladdich)

The distillery, owned by french spirits group Rémy Cointreau, has been planning an increase in its production to 1.5m litres since its takeover in 2012.

The permission to build the new warehouses will allow for the expansion while maintaining the brand’s commitment to keeping every aspect of production on the island.

Carl Reavey, a Bruichladdich spokesperson, said: “1.5m litres is the volume of spirit that we could distill when working round the clock for five days a week.

“Obtaining the relevant permissions to enable this to be matured on Islay has been a long and exacting process and involved extensive consultation with a number of stakeholders and agencies.

“We are delighted to have secured a positive decision which will secure our long-term business plan.”

Bruichladdich has been one of the star performers for Rémy recently, doubling its global volume sales in the year to 31 March. It helped Rémy Cointreau’s liqueurs and spirits division to grow its sales by 7.2%, and is a flagship brand for the company’s moves into a more premium-focused market.

On the expansion, Bruichladdich distillery manager, Allan Logan, added: “We are very proud of our position as the largest private employer on Islay and conscious of the responsibilities we have to the local community. These projects all demonstrate that the future is very bright for everyone associated with this company.”