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The Islay-based Laphroaig distillery has long been interested in expanding its capacity. In 2023, the distillery built three new warehouses on the road towards Port Ellen. In June 2024, the distillery submitted its plans to the Argyll & Bute Council to expand the actual production building. If approved, the changes will be made in multiple phases due to the size of the investment.
According to the distillery, owned by Suntory Global Spirits, the aim is to start construction in Spring 2025 without any disruptions to production. The original seafront buildings will remain in place, while the new expansion will be built inland.
As part of the plan, the distillery would install 12 new washbacks and a new mash house and restore its floor maltings, increasing the production capacity by almost one-third. This would be further aided by the expansion of the stillhouse, which would become home to 11 copper pot stills instead of the current seven. The current annual capacity of the Laphroaig distillery is 3.3m litres.
The plan also includes relocating the visitors centre, now housed in the old floor maltings. The new location is said to better serve the 29,000 distillery visitors annually. A celebratory space where local businesses could provide services is also possible.
Images by Laphroaig - Distillery expansion plans
“Laphroaig Distillery has not benefited from transformative investment for over 100 years, and we want to improve its attractiveness to visitors whilst boosting its production capabilities and sustainability outputs," said Craig Martin, general manager of manufacturing operations for Suntory Global Spirits in the UK and Ireland.
“We have proactively shared information about our proposals with the community, and getting their feedback has been invaluable in shaping our final plans, which have now been submitted to Argyll & Bute Council.”
Martin continued: "The significant level of investment proposed from Suntory Global Spirits will unlock the next chapter of Laphroaig’s legacy and, importantly, underlines our commitment to our long-standing presence on Islay and the island’s rich heritage.”
The latest news from Laphroaig comes after the opening of the Port Ellen distillery on 19th March and the announcement of the construction of the Laggan Bay distillery in May 2024. Additionally, Elixir Distillers is also in the process of building its distillery, Portintruan, on Islay. It appears that the distilleries on the island are undergoing a modern transformation, not only to incorporate sustainable practices but also to bring contemporary aesthetics to the distillery designs.
The 'New' Look
In addition to the latest expansion news, some might have noticed a shift in the Laphroaig distillery's label design and packaging. This redesign was announced in August 2023, but the relatively subtle changes have gone unnoticed by many.
The new design was implemented to lower the distillery's carbon emissions by 30%. While the brand has retained its green-tinted bottle, the label has seen numerous small changes, including an updated logo and font and the 'pronunciation guide' of the commonly mispronounced distillery name.
Furthermore, the secondary packaging tube has been swapped for a recyclable carton, and the plastic cap on the bottle has been replaced with beech wood.
The brand also renamed ‘Laphroaig Select’ to ‘Laphroaig Oak Select’ to better reflect how the casks impact the whisky's flavour.
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