Drinks company Halewood Wines & Spirits plans to open a whisky distillery in North Wales, three months after the country secured whisky industry status.
The firm has applied for planning permission to convert its former wholesale depot in Abergwyngregyn, near Bangor. The Aber Falls distillery will produce a range of alcoholic drinks including gin and liquors at the proposed 6,000 square metre site.
It will be the first distillery in North Wales for over 100 years, and would become only Wales’ third in all after Dà Mhìle Distillery in west Wales announced the release of its first whisky in October. That made it the country’s second distillery, giving the industry the right under European law to market Wales as a whisky-producing nation.
If the plans are granted permission, the site will also house a visitor centre and host training courses for distilling spirits.
It would also include the siting of two grain silos and a condenser unit.
Stewart Hainsworth, chief executive of Halewood Wines & Spirits, said: “Halewood is looking to bring its extensive experience in developing craft spirits to North Wales.
“We are currently working closely with North Wales Tourism and Gwynedd Council to finalise our proposals, which will help to regenerate the area and deliver a number of new jobs within the local community.”
The company owns a portfolio of spirits brands that includes Red Square vodka, Whitley Neill gin and The Pogues Irish whiskey.
Last month, it debuted a new rum that celebrates the rich maritime history of the city of Liverpool, where the business is headquartered.
And in October, the company bolstered its rum portfolio by agreeing the import and distribution rights for Barbados’ Rum Sixty Six.
The plans for a new distillery in Gwynedd represent an extremely positive start to year and follows Halewood’s strong financial performance and growth in 2016 – the result of a number of successful product launches and brand acquisitions.
In July, it acquired ‘a significant stake’ in West Cork Distillers to further strengthen its partnership in jointly developing and distributing its innovative Irish whiskey portfolio throughout international markets.
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