Gartbreck

Planning permission was granted by the Argyll and Bute Council on Friday 24th, January 2014 to demolish and rebuild Gartbreck in order to build a new gin- and whisky distillery.

Plans are public, please see: http://publicaccess.argyll-bute.gov.uk/publicaccess/propertyDetails.do;jsessionid=6E23439C5460E4FBB5469F1F56F1DACD?activeTab=summary&keyVal=IDCJ94CH30000

The distillery is planned to start distilling in 2016

The new craft distillery on a farm at magic Saltpan Point will certainly revive Scotland’s heritage off farm distilleries and will be a toiurist hot spot of the whisky enthusiasts around the world.

Everybody will admire the still house with a large window facing Loch Indaal as they do when visiting Jean Donnay’s beautiful Glann Ar Mor Distillery in Brittanny. The stillroom with its wide window makes for a rather special charming atmosphere and symbolizes a very close relation to nature and the sea.

Planning application was received from the Argyll and Bute Council Jaunary 24th, 2014.

„13/02297/PP | Demolition of existing outbuildings and erection of new distillery building. | Gartbreck Gartbreck Farm Bowmore Isle Of Islay Argyll And Bute PA43 7JG“

See for more details and particular plans: http://publicaccess.argyll-bute.gov.uk/publicaccess/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=MUGLONCH06O00

According to the planning application, there will be a malt barn with floor maltings and a kiln with a drying floor, a still house with a pair of pot stills for malt distillation with exterior worm tubs and a still room for gin production, a malt store, six washbacks, filling and bottling room, warehouse, offices and a visitor centre.

The pot stills will be fire heated and be the only ones on the island. According to Jean Donnay the distillery will produce  100% peated single malt. About 20% of the malt will be malted on own malting floors and dried in their own kiln.  of the whisky distilled will be made by using Barley from Islay and the rest from mainland Scotland. At the start the distillery will produce about 60,000 LPA.There will be a small dunnage warehouse on site. The whisky will primarily mature in Bouron casks but some will also mature in Sherry casks. But Gin will also be distilled.

Some gin will also be distilled on site but the distillery will be primarily a whisky distillery according to Jean Donnay.

The hardworking innovative French couple Martine and Jean Donnay will certainly increase the diversity and quality of Islay whiskies from 2018 onwards if plans come true. „Let us hope for the best.“ (2013)

The distillery will produce a heavily peated whisky. The annual production will be about 120,000 LPA (news in November 2015).

See for Glan ar Mor Distillery http://www.glannarmor.com

The Whisky Advocate Blog http://www.whiskyadvocateblog.com

Some information on the history of Gartbrecks‘ people: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ileach/3995999675/

At the time of writing it has been confirmed that Martine and Jean Donnay are investing in the new Gartbreck distillery project.

„The new distillery will see up to 10 jobs being created. Planning Permission has been granted by the Argyll and Bute Council and it is hoped that the fundings of the 2.5M£ investment will be completed in time to start work during the third quarter 2014, with an aim to have the distillery starting operation by autumn 2015.“ (news in 2014)

The Gateway to Distilleries presents also some photos by kind permission of Alex Reid.

More photos and news to come...

In March 2015 they started tidying up...Macleod had got the building job.

It seems as if the independent bottler Douglas Laing (Glasgow) will be a senior partner in the project now. New plans are being discussed to enlarge the production capacity as previewed by Martine and Jean Donnay (August 2015). No building activities have started yet (November 2015).

Latest news: Construction according to Jean Donnay will start during the first half of 2016. (said in November 2015)

Please double-click and thumbnail the photo to open the tour.

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