THE Scottish owner of the UK’s top-selling “super-premium” gin has ramped up production capacity for the spirit by building a new distillery as part of a £13 million investment in Ayrshire.
Scotch whisky distiller William Grant & Sons has made the commitment to capitalise on the growth of its Hendrick’s Gin, which since its launch in 1999 has played a pivotal role in the renaissance of Scottish gin production.
The new Hendrick’s distillery is located just 50 yards from its original plant at the family-owned firm’s sprawling production site in Girvan, where it also makes Grant’s blended whisky, and allows the distiller to effectively double the output of the Scottish gin brand. Two new still houses have been added to the site, with the number of stills in the Hendrick’s “family” now standing at six. These include four Bennett and two Carter Head stills.
Away from the production side, a gin bar and a laboratory, which includes a flavour library and a lecture theatre, have been added.
Master distiller Lesley Gracie, pictured, said the investment comes in response to growing demand for Hendrick’s, which is famously served with a slice of cucumber – unlike the traditional gin and tonic serve with lime.
She said: “It’s a new distillery. Our previous one, which we lovingly called a gin palace, was located in one of the old originally buildings on the site. Because volumes are increasing, and we needed more capacity, we decided we would build a new distillery. We’ve moved about 50 yards, so we have come a long way!”
Ms Gracie added: “We have doubled our capacity. We are well in hand for lots of different things we could potentially do in terms in innovation, which is what William Grant is renowned for.
“It’s still a family-owned business; they just want to look at things all the time. It is a great environment for us.”
The investment has encompassed the development of a vast walled garden and two hothouses, giving Ms Gracie the scope to experiment with different plants to inform future product development. One hothouse will be set up to allow flora native to the Mediterranean, such as citrus plants, to be cultivated. The other will offer a more temperate environment, making experimentation possible with plants requiring higher temperatures.
Ms Gracie noted that she was looking forward to working with plants and botancials she came across on a trip to the Venezuelan jungle in 2013. She said: “Come March next year, when the growing season kicks off properly, the garden and the hothouses will be full of all sorts of things I can experiment (with).”
The investment does not signify a rise in headcount. The Hendrick’s facility is run by six distillers who operate two shifts per day, seven days per week.
The Hendrick’s expansion comes as new Scottish gins continue to come on to the market at a rapid rate. Scotland Food & Drink states there are now more than 100 Scottish gins on the market, with the value of annual exports rising to in excess of £400m at the last count.
Asked whether the market can sustain the continuing deluge of new brand arrivals, Ms Gracie said: “I think as with all these things, there will be some that survive and some that perhaps don’t. But there is an awful lot of skill within the distilling industry. There is a lot of knowledge. A lot of people are moving towards gin, whether some will survive it just depends. But gin is a versatile product, you can do so much with it. There is plenty of room for good gins.”
Last month, the Scottish Distillers Association launched a new accreditation scheme to protect Scottish gin. It is a response to growing concern that gins not made wholly in Scotland are marketing themselves as such. Ms Gracie said it was helpful to protect the “Scottish element” but emphasised: “Personally, I’m more interested in the quality of the gin. I would like to protect the quality of gin. I’m a bit of a purest in that respect.”
Simon Hunt, chief executive of William Grant & Sons, said: “The expansion of the Hendrick’s distillery is an important milestone in our company’s 130 year history. As an independent, family-owned business we have the freedom to operate with a long-term perspective. This investment is a commitment to our continued leadership of the super-premium gin category, distilling excellence and exciting consumers with this unusual and curious brand.”
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