by Ernie Scheiner
Ardgowan, new distillery
The " £20 million 'cathedral of whisky' distillery" under construction west of Glasgow, south of Greenock on the south bank of the Firth of Clyde in Inverkip Ardgowan In the first phase, starting in 2025, the company plans to distill around one million litres of pure alcohol and process it into whisky.
At the end of October 2024, the two stills arrived from Prestonpans to Inverkip. MacMillan coppersmiths had made them specifically to meet Ardgowan's needs. Although they are traditionally hand-forged and designed in the Swan Neck Pot Still style, they also show features of technological advancement.
Their height of 6.4 m and 5.4 m respectively and their capacity of 12,000 and 9,000 litres respectively allow the distillation of large quantities of alcohol. What is special about them: "They feature thermal vapor recompression (TVR) technology, which reduces energy waste by compressing and reintroducing steam into the process." They reckon that about 40 % of the heat will be recovered within their distilling system.
The first spirit will probably run in April 2025.
Source photos: Facebook Ardgowan Distillery.
They are part of an energy-saving concept . According to Ardgowan, they want to "achieve net zero emissions within the next five years."
"In addition to their technical efficiency, the stills are also equipped with a precision-engineered 315-tube condenser on the raw spirit still, which improves both spirit character and energy efficiency."
Production
According to the company, the future even allows for an increase in capacity in the second phase to two million liters of barley spirit. On the historic Ardgowan Estate, opposite the Isle of Arran, parts of the barley spirits, which are twice distilled in two pairs of Swan Neck Pot Stills, are to mature in sherry casks.
“What we want to make is a great robust spirit, very fruity, able to stand up to a lot of sherry maturation –
“So something Highland Speyside is what we’re going for.”
says CEO Martin McAdam.
Translation: “We want to make a great, robust spirit, very fruity, that can tolerate long sherry maturation – so something from the Highland Speyside is what we are aiming for.”
Welshwoman Laura Davies will be responsible for production. She has headed production at the Welsh Penderyn distillery since 2012. Her area of responsibility expanded there in October 2021 when she took on the position of General Manager of the Penderyn, Llandudno and Swansea distilleries. In November 2024, she surprisingly moved to the role of Distillery Manager at the Ardgowan Distillery. Laura is married to Stephen Davies, CEO of Penderyn Distilleries. Stephen will work remotely one week in Penderyn and the other week in his home office in Scotland, keeping the family together.
The Scotsman of 5th November, 2024 reports about Ardgowan and Laura Davies: "Ardgowan welcomes new distillery manager..."
Update Laura Davies:
"Inverclyde, Scotland, 17 November 2024 – Big news from Ardgowan Distillery as they prepare to launch operations in Spring 2025. Laura Davies, a seasoned whisky professional with over a decade of experience, has been appointed as the new Distillery Manager. Known for her expertise in distillery operations and business growth, Laura joins at a pivotal time, following the arrival of Ardgowan’s cutting-edge copper stills, crafted by McMillan Coppersmiths Ltd.
Located in Scotland’s Inverclyde region, Ardgowan Distillery has always been about blending traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation to produce world-class single malts. Laura’s appointment is a clear sign of their commitment to this vision.
Laura brings an impressive track record, having played a vital role at The Welsh Whisky Company (Penderyn), where she helped boost turnover from £10 million to £23 million in just seven years. Her leadership spanned operations across multiple production sites and visitor centres. Her whisky-making expertise was sharpened under the mentorship of the late Dr. Jim Swan, famously dubbed the “Einstein of Scotch Whisky.”
Commenting on the appointment, Martin McAdam, CEO of Ardgowan Distillery, said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Laura to the Ardgowan family. Her deep industry knowledge and passion for innovation align perfectly with our mission to craft exceptional whiskies and become a cornerstone of our community.”
Laura herself expressed her excitement: “Ardgowan is at such an exciting stage in its journey. Building the distillery and operational team from the ground up is a unique opportunity. I’m looking forward to applying all I’ve learned to create a Single Malt that will truly resonate with whisky lovers around the world.”
Laura’s expertise spans compliance, innovation, and product development, including scaling operations from 90,000 to over 1 million litres annually and creating award-winning gins. With a strong academic background in science and innovation, she’s perfectly equipped to lead Ardgowan into its next chapter. Whisky lovers, 2025 promises to be an exciting year!"
Where do the sherry barrels come from?
With a possible annual production of one million liters of pure alcohol, the demand for sherry barrels is gigantic. Since the cooperages in Jerez cannot cover this demand for Ardgowan alone, it is assumed that bourbon barrels are also used to mature the Ardgowan distillate.
CEO Martin McAdam explains, that
"75 to 80 % [of the Ardgowan Whiskies] will mature in Sherry wood..."
...
sources say, around 1.000 first-fill Infinity Casks™
will be filled with Ardgowan spirit per year."
It is therefore not surprising that as early as spring 2023, CEO Martin McAdam, together with the main investor and Director of Investments, Roland Grain, had signed a kind of security agreement for the supply of sherry casks for the Lowland Distillery with Toneleria José y Miguel Martín worth " £100 million" . This is intended to "...secure a decades long supply of 'infinity casks.' " Stuart MacPherson, who will be Master of Wood at Edrington until July 2022 - Macallan, Highland Park, Famous Grouse, Glenrothes - had probably suggested this partnership in good time and with foresight. However, the first seasoning casks are already maturing and should be available by the time production starts.
"The Ardgowan Infinity cask is specifically designed for us and is the first unique cask design for the Scottish Whiskey industry in over a century.
The casks are specifically designed for long-maturation and will be seasoned with organic sherry for 27 months – far longer than the industry standard of 12-18 months."
CEO Martin McAdam proudly explained,
“While others hurry to take their whiskey to market
Ardgowan has made a conscious decision to delay
“The introduction of our single malt to market to make sure we’re getting the most out of these special casks.”
(Source Ardgowan press release).
Translation into English : " The Ardgowan Infinity cask was designed specifically for us and is the first unique cask design for the Scottish whisky industry in over a century. The casks are specifically designed for long maturation and are aged in organic sherry for 27 months - far longer than the industry standard of 12 to 18 months. While others are in a rush to get their whisky to market, Ardgowan has made the conscious decision to delay the launch of our single malt to ensure we get the most out of these special casks."
The mysterious Ardgowan Infinity Cask ™ has been protected as a registered trademark and is therefore exclusively produced for the distillery in Jerez for Ardgowan in a medium toasted cask size of up to 700 liters. According to the Scotch Whisky Regulations, this is the maximum permitted cask size for whisky maturation.
Please note: In the Scottish whisky industry, barrels with a capacity of 700 liters were referred to as Gorda. Blenders often used them as Marrying Vats for blending whiskies. This type of barrel made of American oak is said to have originated in the USA, where it was mainly used in the whiskey trade to store large quantities of whiskey. Size: 185 US gallon; 154 Imperial gallon; 700 litre.
And in the Bodegas of Jerez they also used some kind of Gorda: "In Jerez the ageing vessel par excellence is the “bota jerezana” with a capacity of 600 litres (equivalent to 36 arrobas). Although its dimensions can vary slightly depending on the cooper, they are usually approximately as follows: 136 cm long (la talla), 102 cm at the widest point (el bojo). The vast majority of the wines protected by the Denomination of Origin age in this type of container although often they are only filled to 5/6 of their capacity to propitiate the development of the veil of yeasts which we call “la flor”, a vital element for “biological ageing”. This type of cask is also commonly known as a “bota gorda” (fat cask)."
Source: Sherry Wine
Example: Decaying Marrying Vats at Convalmore Distillery. Photos from 2009.
The Infinity Casks ™ are subjected to a long "seasoning for 30 months" with certified Oloroso Sherry in Miguel Martín's warehouses in Sanlúcar de Barrameda near the Atlantic Ocean and in the south of the city of Jerez. Only ten percent of the casks will be filled with Pedro Ximénez Sherry. The first Ardgowan whiskies are expected to come onto the market after 2030-33.
"Each Infinity casks costs fifty times more than a typical cask...
but to us this cost is irrelevant, the priority is achieving a perfect balance of spirit and wood influence and time is of no consequence."
NN*
" The only way to own an Infinty Cask is by becoming a chieftan."
Only 100 Chieftains or their heirs will be able to enjoy the contents for a one-time payment of one hundred thousand British pounds sterling for a hundred years.
*The source is known by name to the author.
Toneleria José and Miguel Martín
Six independent Tonelerias remain in Jerez: Huberto Domecq (also supplies to Macallan) as well as Antonio Páez Lobato , Tonelería 8 A r tesano , Cask and Botas and the very small Toneleria la Tiesta .
The company José y Miguel Martín is new to Jerez . The barrel production site is 80 km from Jerez, outside the DOP Jerez. Bollullos par del Condado is located near Huelva and belongs to the DOP Condado Huelva . However, the Martin cooperage also purchases smaller barrels from other Spanish cooperages.
It was only in October 2015 that Martin acquired the Jerez-based Bodega Valdivia (formerly Ruiz-Mateos) from a bankrupt estate due to the strict certification requirements of the Consejo Regulador. The jewel of the bodega is a 250-hectare vineyard 'Pato de la Plata', which is located in the Jerez Superior Zone. This is probably the secret of Valdivia's exceptional sherry qualities. According to their own statements, they also purchase old Solera sherries from small bodegas. It is not currently known whether these high-quality sherries are used to season the Miguel Martín barrels. What is certain is that the winery attached to the cooperage is supplied with grapes by around 200 small winegrowers, as has been the case up to now.
With the purchase of Valdivia, Martín SL was given the opportunity for the first time to be certified by the Consejo Regulador de vinos de Jerez y Manzanilla. Seasoning casks intended for certification must be filled with sherry from the DO Jerez and matured there for at least twelve months exclusively in the DO Jerez-Xérèz. Martín seasoning casks intended for the whisky industry with the option of "Matured in Sherry Casks" are therefore currently stored in newly built warehouses in Sanlúcar de Barrameda on the Atlantic coast or in the buildings of the Bodega Valdivia. Barrels are also being flavored with young sherry in a newly built gigantic hall complex on the motorway exit from Jerez to Puerto de Santa Maria. The maturing halls are located directly opposite the renowned Bodega Williams & Humbert. The bodega, which has been approved by the Consejo, is officially called José y Miguel Martín.
The upper photos of Bodega Valdivia were taken in 2018. The lower photo is from Google Maps Copyright.
See link to Google Map...Copyright source. The Steelrack warehouses of José y Miguel Martín at the entrance to the motorway to Peuerto de Santa Maria.
NB : Martín casks, which used to mature exclusively in Bollullos and are still maturing, may only be sold by the distilleries as Oloroso Cask and not as a Sherry Cask Example : The Glenfarclas Fino Cask 1966 Release , released in 2013, matured for 47 years in three Fino casks.
Note: Miguel Martín tried unsuccessfully to patent the term Sherry Cask years ago.
The beginnings of José y Miguel Martín (photo left).
The new cooperage in Bollullos Par del Condado, Huelva, from the outside. In the multi-storey steel rack warehouses in Bollollus, the barrels are flavoured with liqueur wines. Large stainless steel tanks indicate the demand. All photos are from 2018.
About the author
Ernie - Ernst J. Scheiner is the editor of the portal The Gateway to Distilleries www.whisky-distilleries.net He photographically documents over 150 distilleries from the inside and describes the production of whiskies in detail. Since his studies at the University of Edinburgh, he has been involved with the subject of whisky and has published in specialist magazines
such as The Ireland Journal, Kleinbrennerei, Whisky Passion and The Highland Herold . Features and stories appeared in the blogs whiskyexperts, whiskyfanblog and whiskyintelligence . As head of the VHS Ingelheim, and now as whisky ambassador, he leads distillation colleges, study trips and whisky culture tours to the sources of whisky.
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