It is already known as the whisky island.
But now with a population of just over 3,000 people, Islay is set for its 12th distillery.
A Proposal for Application Notice has been submitted to Argyll and Bute Council for the island’s newest dram maker and visitor centre, named after the island’s oldest name ‘ili’, at Gearach Farm west of Port Charlotte.
“ili’s vision joins two elements: the site itself, and the whisky which it will produce,” says the proposed distillery’s website.
“The vision for the site is bold and different; not just another distillery on Islay, but an Islay-native project, serving and benefitting the local community with jobs, sustainability, and growth.
Community-backed venture
The proposal is brought forward by people with a genuine investment in the community and its interests.
“ili is the brainchild of Bertram Nesselrode and Scott McLellan. Seeking a sustainable future for Gearach Farm, they turned to Islay’s existing importance as the home of high-quality whisky, and saw an opportunity to enhance this legacy with the addition of a new, contemporary, sustainable distillery. ili will be highly sustainable through the use of renewable energy, helping to ensure that Islay’s whisky legacy can continue well into the future.
“Physically, the built form of the distillery will also represent a point of difference: it will respect the built vernacular of the island and complement the natural form of its spectacular surroundings.
“The goal is to create a distillery building of the highest quality that will be a credit to the Isle of Islay, enhance tourism around whisky distilling, generate long-term employment and wider economic opportunities, and produce a product that reaches a new audience.
“The name of the enterprise is ili, the oldest name for Islay. It is inspired by the ancient standing stones found on the farm and in other places on the island and beyond.
Distillery to bring benefits to the area
“The distillery will form a part of Islay’s legacy of whisky production, with a range of important benefits for the local area.
“It will be highly sustainable from the outset through the inclusion of renewable energy generation on-site, and will represent a long-term and sustainable diversification of the existing farm operation.
“A Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) has been submitted to Argyll and Bute Council for the development of this new distillery and this commences an important period of pre-application consultation. The team behind ili had hoped to be able to host physical public exhibitions on the island.
“Islay is already known for its distilleries. ili will not just serve as a continuation of this legacy, but a development of it: ili’s product will be carbon-neutral, with the creation of high-quality jobs and apprenticeships at the forefront of the overall vision to create a sustainable, lasting development for the island.
“The distillery would bring numerous benefits to Islay: by providing jobs, it would help with the retention of young talent on the island, particularly through the apprenticeship scheme.
Employment boost for island
“An economic analysis undertaken by BiGGAR Economics indicates that by its 10th year of operation, ili could contribute 21 jobs within Islay and 53 jobs across Scotland. The construction phase is estimated to support six years of employment on Islay.
“The proposed distillery will have a target capacity of 200,000 litres per annum, highlighting the smaller, more bespoke approach. For comparison, this is a similar size to that of Kilchoman pre-expansion.”
The plans, sited within the Rinns of Islay Site of Special Scientific Interest, include renewable energy infrastructure: a hydrogen plant, solar panels, and a wind turbine up to 76.5 metres high to blade tip.
Consideration is being given to abstracting water directly from Loch Gearach situated close to the proposed distillery or from a borehole located on site.
A virtual exhibition is currently open.
Islay’s nine working distilleries are Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Kilchoman, Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain, Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardnahoe, and planning applications have been approved for two more: a revived Port Ellen Distillery, and Elixir Distillers at Farkin Cottage.