Ardgowan distillery has taken delivery of its copper stills, and welcomed a new distillery manager on the same day.
As the stills, which have been made by McMillan Coppersmiths in Prestonpans, were piped into the distillery site, Ardgowan were also welcoming their new distillery manager, Laura Davies who has moved from Penderyn distillery in Wales.
Ms Davies started her career at Penderyn as trainee distiller and moved up the company to become distillery manager in 2016. Ms Davies led an all-female team at the distillery, and she started her new role at Ardgowan in early November.
Penderyn was established in 2000 by a team of entrepreneurs aiming to revive Welsh whisky production after over a century's absence.
Of her new role Ms Davies said: “When I was approached about this role, from the minute I first heard about it, it just seemed so exciting, so ambitious, so radical. I just fell in love with the project.
"Then I met the team, they’re such a lovely team here. Everyone is so passionate and involved. It was the place for me. Even being on site today, my first day, it feels like home.”
When asked about the differences between Welsh and Scotch, the stricter legalities set down by the Scotch Whisky Association and any challenges this may pose, Ms Davies said: “It’s something I’m looking forward to. I was part of the team who introduced the Welsh whisky geographic indicator for single malt Welsh whisky in the last couple of years, so I have some knowledge of that.
“It’ll be a new challenge but then a new distillery will always be going to be full of new challenges.”
Ms Davies said she’s most looking forward to being able to put her stamp on the distillery, being part of the team and being able to develop this dream and get it off the ground.”
A former Penderyn whisky maker is Gillian Macdonald, now at the Glenmorangie Company. Has Ms Davies been inspired by her career path and success?
She said: “I didn’t spend my career in south wales and Penderyn thinking ‘at some point I’m going to move to Scotland’. It wasn’t something I had to do.
"But seeing what Gillian had done - and not only Gillian but all of the women in the industry before her and since - was really inspirational and knowing that that was something that was accessible to me was really important.”
