Achi news desk-
Alongside his sons, Scott and Andrew, this dream was realized in 2019 when Ardnahoe Distillery opened its doors to the public for the first time ever.
“Because Dad went over for work experience in Bruichladdich in the 60s, Islay has always had a special place in our hearts,” Scott Laing, business development director of Hunter Laing & Co told the Herald.
“From a commercial point of view, we’ve found that Islay has a special magic to it when it comes to whisky.
“People who are fans of Islay whiskey are committed to it in a way that you don’t necessarily see with another region.
“Whenever we made a single cask from one of his distilleries, bottles would fly off the shelves.
“There is an interest in Islay whiskey and we wanted to become part of that.”
In order to establish themselves among Islay’s vibrant whiskey community, firstly, the blends and bottlers from Glasgow had to secure a home that matched their expectations.
During a visit to Ardnahoe on the north-east corner of the island in 2015, it was love at first sight.
Mr Laing said: “We had been shown around various possible locations by local landowners after deciding to build on Islay.
“Ardnahoe was the last site we looked at, but as soon as we saw it, we knew it stood out.
“The views across the Sound of Islay and Paps Jura are picture perfect, almost as if the land was created for a distillery before one was ever built there.
“It was an easy decision to go for after that.”
Although the years between then and now have brought with them challenges including a global pandemic and a cost of living crisis, Ardnahoe has steadily continued on its path to opening relief while welcoming tens of thousands of visitors annually.
The whiskey business tends to think in decades rather than years, after all, Laing points out.
“It felt like all we talked about for a long time when we were trying to set up the distillery,” he continued.
“Working with family means you share all the trials and tribulations that have brought us closer together in many ways.
“The night before the whiskey was launched this month we all took a deep breath and thought, ‘well, this is it, we’ve done it here’.
“There were many bumps in the road and hurdles to jump over in the nine years before that, but we got there in the end.
“Seeing our bottle on the shelves feels like we’re finally getting paid at the end.”
Ardnahoe’s first whiskey has been created using traditional methods under the watchful eye of distillery manager Fraser Hughes.
Soft peaty Islay lake water is drawn from nearby Loch Ardnahoe, while the distillery distinguishes itself by using two traditional worm tub condensers – the only ones on the island.
“This is a one-off bottling and we’re very proud of it,” explained Laing.
“It’s a mixture of ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso sherry casks bottled at 50% alcohol without being colored or chill-filtered.
“Like Islay whisky, there is of course some peat but because of the production process, it’s multi-dimensional with a definite sweetness to it.
“You don’t often find that in other whiskeys from the island.”
Adding to the festive atmosphere in Ardnahoe, next week the distillery will host an open day on Wednesday, May 29 as part of the world famous Fèis Île festival.
There, visitors from all over the world will have the opportunity to taste the opening release or get their hands on a limited edition bottling available exclusively on site.
Asked what the future holds beyond that, Mr Laing said: “We’re going to spend the next few months enjoying the response we’ve received and spreading the word.
“Usually we only sell single casks so it’s small batch after small batch, always starting from scratch again.
“But with this, we can build a head of steam and for the first time, there is the potential to become a global brand.”
Of this hope, Laing’s father added: “Building our own distillery was a hugely important step and long dreamed of and has been a personal ambition of mine since I was posted to work on Islay in Bruichladdich.
“From finding the perfect piece of land on Islay for the distillery back in 2015 to seeing our first whiskey released now, it really is the culmination of a lifelong dream for the Laing family.”
The family behind Hunter Laing has been involved in the whiskey industry for over three generations.
Chairman Stewart Laing founded the company with his sons Andrew and Scott in 2013, after Douglas Laing & Co, the family business – including brands and assets – which he had run with his brother Fred for more than 40 years being split in two as part of succession planning.
The company, which is headquartered in Glasgow’s Park Circus, exports its whiskey to more than 70 countries.
For more information click here or discover the first relief of Ardnahoe, here.
