Glenlivet new stills

[Rob Allanson]

Chivas Brothers has revealed a new £10 million expansion at The Glenlivet Distillery in Speyside, supporting its long term ambition to become the World's No 1 single malt and guaranteeing supply for the future.
The distillery extension, which houses a new mash tun, eight traditional oregon pine washbacks and six expertly crafted copper stills, represents a 75 epr cent increase in production capacity allowing the brand to capitalise on buoyant international markets.
Earlier this year, the Scotch Whisky Association reported that an impressive performance in the second half of 2009 had contributed to record-breaking levels of global exports for Scotch whisky at the end of 2009. Exports have risen by £977 million in shipment value over the last ten years, representing a 45% increase.*
Christian Porta, Chivas Brothers Chairman and CEO, reiterated the importance of this investment to the future success of The Glenlivet: "Today's opening represents the latest milestone in a period of sustained investment and strong growth in The Glenlivet. Since 2002, we have taken the brand from No 3 to No 2 globally with investment in packaging, marketing and new product development.
"The stunning new extension not only gives us the production potential to meet the buoyant demands of global markets and, one day take the No 1 spot, it is also a sympathetic and aesthetically enduring legacy for generations to come to admire.
"We are already leading from the front in the US, the world's most valuable Scotch whisky market and No1 single malt market, and we are now well-positioned to replicate this success internationally."
The investment has already brought real benefits to the local business community with a team of local contractors involved in the expansion. Overall design was by architects LDN of Forres whilst the principle contractor was A.D. Walker of Banff. Subcontractors included Simmers of Keith who built the steel structure, specialist vat builders Joseph Brown of Dufftown who installed 8 new traditional wooden washbacks, and coppersmiths Forsyths of Rothes who built 6 new stills exactly replicating the distillery's famous tall, wide still shape.

[Danmag]

Well, when I read the first paragraph I thought they were expanding the distillery, yet again. As I got into the story I realised it was actually old news in that when I went there in May the still house was actually there and they were just finishing it off. Give credit where credit is due it did look good and fitted in well with what was already there. But as they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, or in this case, in the drinking.