Islay Boys secure planning permission for Islay’s newest whisky distillery

Islay Boys secure planning permission for Islay’s newest whisky distillery

The new distillery will be titled Laggan Bay Distillery

01 August 2022

Planning permission has been approved for The Islay Boys to move ahead with plans for a whisky distillery and brewery building on Islay, located at Glenegadale in Laggan Bay. It will be the 12th distillery on the isle.

The name has been announced as Laggan Bay Distillery, with the plan to house traditional, double-distillation Islay whisky, as well as enhancing their brewing reputation with a new building to house a brew kit for their ales.

The planned site is set to cover two hectares, opposite Islay’s airport in the region’s centre, and situated less than a mile from Islay’s longest beach, the Big Strand in Laggan Bay from which the distillery is named after.

Permission for the building was granted by Argyll and Bute Council, but there is no word as of yet when construction will commence.

As part of the approved project, The Islay Boys have announced a new partnership with Ian MacLeod Distillers. Chairman of the distillery, Leonard Russell, said: "I have known and worked with the Islay Boys for a long time, and I’m delighted to be able to bring our long experience in creating quality Scotch Single Malts to the Laggan Bay Distillery project."

The Islay Boys was founded by Mackay Smith and Donald MacKenzie and specialises in independent Scotch Whisky bottling. They have a range of blended and single malt scotch whiskies under various brands, including Flatnöse, Bårelegs and Picti. They purchased Islay's only brewery, Islay Ales Co Ltd, in 2018.

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