Beam Suntory has announced a £6 million investment into the restoration and upgrade of its Glen Garioch whisky distillery in Oldmeldrum, Scotland.
The renovation will see the site return to more traditional distilling and malting methods, in acknowledgment to Glen Garioch’s rich heritage, and the complexity and quality of its small batch Highland single malt.
The foundation of the transformation involves the reintroduction of floor maltings and the installation of direct-fired heating to the wash still. Beam Suntory anticipates that the latter will reduce the distillery’s carbon footprint by around 15%.
Glen Garioch has been distilling its single malt Scotch whisky in Oldmeldrum since 1979, making it one of the oldest operating distilleries in Scotland, according to Beam Suntory.
Kwanele Mdluli, distillery manager at Beam Suntory, said: “We are proud to make this investment in Glen Garioch’s historic distillery, and we’re excited about the future.
“Although these traditional distilling and malting methods are rare in today’s industry, our teams have deep expertise and passion for these methods, and we’re all looking forward to bringing them back to our distillery.”
Francois Bazini, managing director for Beam Suntory’s Scotch, gin and Irish division, added: “Our whisky has always been made with extraordinary care, and by reinvigorating its distillery and tapping into the brand’s rich history, we’ll be able to build on the quality and complexity that Glen Garioch is already known for. Although we’re looking to the past for inspiration – we’re opening the next chapter in Glen Garioch’s future.”
Construction began in 2020 and various stages are expected to be completed over the course of 2021. The distillery has already expanded its team from 7 to 12, with additional hires planned for this year.
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