Lochranza Distillery, home of the Arran Single Malt, has been named Distillery of the Year at the 2025 Scottish Whisky Awards.
The accolade recognises the distillery’s outstanding quality, innovation, and consistent commitment to excellence throughout the year.
This award concludes an exciting year for Isle of Arran Distillers as they celebrated three decades of distilling and maturing Arran Single Malt.
The Arran Single Malt 10-Year-Old was also highly awarded, winning the gold medal in the Single Malt Scotch – 12 Years and Under category.
Lagg Distillery, Isle of Arran Distillers’s new peated distillery located in the southern part of the island, won the same accolade in 2023 just as they launched the first Lagg Single Malts worldwide.
Euan Mitchell, managing director of Isle of Arran Distillers said of the award: “Seeing Lochranza named Distillery of the Year is a tremendous honour for all of us at Isle of Arran Distillers and a fantastic way to finish our anniversary year.
“Coming so soon after Lagg received the same award in 2023, it feels incredibly special to have both of our distilleries recognised at the highest level. It’s a testament to the passion and dedication of our entire team.”
Spirit flowed through the stills in Lochranza for the very first time in 1995, bringing back whisky distillation legally to the island after 150 years.
Her Majesty The Queen officially opened the Lochranza Distillery Visitor Centre in 1997, marking a defining moment in the island’s modern whisky story.
The following year, actor Ewan McGregor toasted the first cask of legal Scotch whisky produced on Arran in over a century.
In 2024, that same cask was bottled and auctioned, raising over £150,000 for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS), beautifully closing a circle that began more than two decades earlier.
In 2019, the Arran Single Malt Whisky range saw a dramatic and highly successful rebrand, helping to put the brand firmly on the map as a modern yet classic whisky with renewed global appeal.
On June 29 2025, fans gathered in Lochranza to celebrate the exact moment spirit first passed through the stills thirty years earlier by raising a dram together.
To mark the anniversary of the first cask filled on 15 August 1995, the distillery sold thirty rare Palo Cortado Sherry Casks filled on the milestone date.
The shelves of the Visitor Centre also recently saw the long-awaited Arran 30-Year-Old Single Malt First Release, a 1995 ex-Sherry Hogshead chosen by distillery manager Stewart Bowman.
Over the years, Lochranza has continued to grow alongside the creation and development of its sister distillery, Lagg, ensuring the legacy of Arran whiskies for generations to come. The White Stags, a passionate fan community dedicated to these whiskies, now spans over 29,000 members.
Today, Lochranza Distillery and Visitor Centre is a popular tourist destination open seven days a week, welcoming whisky enthusiasts and travellers from around the world.
The site offers immersive experiences through guided tours and expertly led tastings, including the “Journey Through The Ages” experience which gives guests an in-depth look at Lochranza's history alongside some iconic whiskies from the archives, a distillery tour and the chance to enjoy a dram straight from the cask in Warehouse 1.
Guests can also enjoy the distillery’s café, which serves dishes and beverages made with local ingredients, and browse a well-stocked shop featuring exclusive bottlings and unique gifts.
Lindsay Patrick, Lochranza visitor centre manager said: “We are incredibly proud to be a key tourist attraction on the Isle of Arran, alongside so many other fantastic experiences the island has to offer, and to be recognised with this award.
“We look forward to welcoming even more visitors in 2026, and to seeing both new and familiar faces coming through our doors."
