Founded in 2017, the west coast firm is led by whisky entrepreneur Roland Grain and Distillery Manager Laura Davies who together spearhead an expert team with a combined experience spanning over seven decades in the whisky industry.

Featuring an impressive Scandinavian longhouse design and visually striking 97% recycled aluminium roof, the distillery has its sights set on producing top quality whisky and striving for carbon neutrality.

The historic milestone saw Ardgowan’s first oak cask filled with new make spirit ready for maturation and an official Opening Day held last Friday (20^th June 2025).

Following eight years of development, planning and construction, it is the first new distillery to open in Inverclyde for over a century. Until now, the last distillery to operate in the region was destroyed in the Greenock Blitz on 7th May 1941.

 Millions of pounds (GBP) have already been invested in the distillery’s signature ‘Infinity Casks’: oak casks which have hosted Sherry for three years prior to production commencing and are intended for maturation periods of 18 years or more.

Sustainability was a top consideration throughout construction, with green technologies, including Thermal Vapour Recompression (TVR), which recycles heat waste, being installed. 

Commenting on this major landmark, Grain shares:

“After a lengthy build, the team and I are thrilled to now be in full production and filling casks with our own distillate, including private casks for our Clan Ardgowan members. Ardgowan’s ultimate goal is to revive the golden age of Scotch whisky with long Sherry cask maturation in European oak.

“Our commitment to quality is demonstrated by investing millions of pounds in our signature Infinity Casks years before the distillery was built. These bespoke oak casks were created exclusively by renowned ​Bodegas Miguel Martín and Macallan’s former Master of Wood Stuart MacPherson. Producing whisky is all about time and patience, so, as we fill our first casks and open the site to the public, we look forward to steadily perfecting our Single Malt in the years to come.”

The Ardgowan Distillery’s visitor centre is planned to open later this summer with various experiences on offer, catering for whisky novices and connoisseurs alike.