Laggan Bay Distillery Fills its First Cask on Islay

Laggan Bay, Islay’s newest distillery, has officially opened and begun distilling. The new facility was built by Ian Macleod Distillers, owners of Glengoyne, Rosebank, and Tamdhu. Laggan Bay Distillery was designed with a production capacity of 1 million liters of pure alcohol per annum and will produce a heavily peated Islay whisky. The distillery sits adjacent to Islay Airport in Glenegedale overlooking Laggan Bay, midway between Bowmore and Port Ellen. The filling of the first cask on April 2, 2026, by Ian Macleod’s managing director Leonard Russell, his son Tom, and distillery manager Malcolm Rennie, signaled the start of production and marked a major milestone for the family-owned business.

Islay now boasts 11 single malt distilleries and a rum distillery, with Elixir Distillers’ Portintruan Distillery project nearing completion. The island was hit hard in the downturn in the whisky industry in the 1980s, but over the past 30 years, Ardbeg and Bruichladdich reopened under new ownership, new distilleries, including Kilchoman and Ardnahoe, came on stream, and after 40 years, a new Port Ellen Distillery opened in 2024.

Overseen by Rennie, an Ileach or native of Islay, the distillery aims to craft a distinctive Islay single malt shaped by its coastal location. The distillery was designed with a focus on sustainable environmental management, and will explore renewable energy sources and incorporate wetlands to manage liquid waste and support local wildlife. Rennie previously worked at Bruichladdich, Ardbeg, and Kilchoman on Islay, and Glen Moray, Annandale, and Lochlea on the mainland, before being appointed as Rosebank Distillery manager for Ian Macleod Distillers in 2021.

Laggan Bay Distillery will take part in Fèis Ìle next month, opening its doors on May 31^st to let whisky fans see inside the distillery and meet the team.