30 years in the making: What makes Arran’s Lochranza Distillery a ‘really special place’

Yet, as it celebrates three decades since the first liquid gold ran through its spirit safe in 1995, Lochranza Distillery can eye its future on a sound footing having become a must-see visitor attraction on the Isle of Arran, and a revered name among discerning drinkers far and wide.

That first spirit ran in June 95 and the very first cask was filled on August 15 of that year, just ahead of the distillery officially opening its doors.

So, it comes as little surprise to find Isle of Arran Distillers honouring this current milestone year, and month, with the launch of 30 limited-edition Palo Cortado sherry casks, which will be filled precisely 30 years to the day from that initial casking in 1995 - Isle of Arran being one of the few distilleries in Scotland to offer cask sales directly.

Stewart Bowman, who joined as distillery manager in November 2021 and has previously worked for industry giant Diageo and maverick craft beer maker BrewDog, describes the island distillery as a “really special place” to work and live near.

“We benefit from an incredible set of surroundings here, with the hills and the wee villages that we have, and the sea of course,” he beams. “It feels like I’ve been here for quite a while now, but in a good way.

“It was a bit of a leap of faith to start the distillery and it’s fair to say Arran went through its growing pains in those early years before they had a ten-year-old.

“Our MD [Euan Mitchell] has always made sure that our whisky is accessible and affordable. Our total maximum capacity is just over one million litres so we are a relatively small site. The focus is on lower quantities of very high quality whisky and Arran is finding its identity more and more.”

Lochranza, which lies on the northern shores of an island often described as “Scotland in miniature”, was one of the first of a new wave of distilleries that opened in the 1990s. Following a decision to locate the production of peated single malts elsewhere on the island, the firm opened the striking-looking Lagg Distillery on the southern shores of Arran in 2019.

The Arran Single Malt produced at Lochranza has gained international acclaim for its vibrant character and award-winning range, becoming something of a modern classic since its debut in the 1990s. Produced from pure Loch na Davie water, the whisky is matured in a variety of casks, from bourbon and sherry to rare wine.

To tie in with its milestone birthday, the distillery will also be releasing a limited edition 30-year-old single malt, available to buy from its visitor centre in Lochranza from November. It is limited to just over 300 bottles given the small stocks from 1995 in its inventory.

Bowman, who holds a degree in brewing and distilling, says the site is drawing in increasing numbers of visitors, from across Scotland and further afield, thanks to its unique location and a growing fascination and appreciation for the process of whisky making.

“There is more of a focus these days on offering an experience,” he asserts. “When I think back to visiting distilleries in the Highlands there would be a shop and a couple of bottles and that was about it.

“It’s a real focal point for us as a business to make sure that we are offering an incredible experience for people coming in through the door. They are able to come in, get something to eat, grab a cup of tea, have a look round, have a tour with one of our guides, have a tasting and really immerse themselves in what we do at Arran.

“We can impart a little bit more of that knowledge and that passion about the whiskies that we produce.”

Spirits sales globally have been under pressure from cost-of-living constraints triggered by the pandemic and sticky inflation, with recent trade tariffs presenting a further headache. Major players including Johnnie Walker maker Diageo and Chivas Brothers owner Pernod Ricard - Scotland’s two largest volume whisky producers - have seen sales and profits diluted as a result.

Investment

Bowman insists that Isle of Arran is faring well and continuing to invest in the business, with capital expenditure progressing at both sites, including new condensers at Lagg.

“The trade wars, the cost-of-living crisis and Covid - all of these factors put a huge amount of pressure on everyone,” he says. “We are feeling that as an industry in general. Scotch whisky sales are down and it’s definitely hitting the blended side rather than the single malts. However, 99-point-something of what we do goes to our own single malts, so it maybe hasn’t hit us as hard as some.

“People are more mindful of what they are buying as there is less cash in their pockets. Having the whisky being affordable and accessible is a really good thing. And we are in a number of different markets around the world and that’s helped to mitigate some of the volatility,” he adds.

An on-site expansion project in 2022 and into 2023 at Lochranza saw equipment added to allow it to produce up to 1.1 million litres. Bowman assures that has not come at the expense of quality and consistency.

“Those washbacks have allowed us to increase production without having an adverse effect on quality. That is something that is very close to my heart. We did not want to change the character of the Lochranza spirit.”

He adds: “Distilleries tend to be in the wilderness a bit, surrounded by beautiful landscapes that we roll into our stories - we talk about the water, we talk about the hills and the atmosphere and all of this having an effect on the whisky, so I think it’s natural that we want to try and look after the place.”

Meet the Distiller: Graham Omand, Lagg distillery, Arran