Ardbeg Distillery Expansion – Maintaining Production Through Transition

Client: Ardbeg Distillery (The Glenmorangie Company)
Location: Islay, Scotland
Services: Process Design, Project Engineering Support, Commissioning Strategy

Overview
Ardbeg Distillery, one of Islay’s most iconic and heavily peated malt whisky producers, undertook a significant capacity expansion to meet growing global demand. The expansion involved the construction of a new still house equipped with four new copper pot stills and condenser heat recovery - designed to double production capacity and increase energy efficiency while preserving Ardbeg’s character and quality.

A key challenge in the project was maintaining uninterrupted production throughout the construction and commissioning phases. In a rare and complex manoeuvre, six pot stills were run in parallel - four new stills in the newly constructed still house and the existing two in the original facility - ensuring continuous spirit production without sacrificing operational performance.

Objectives

• Expand capacity while maintaining original spirit quality.
• Design and deliver a fully integrated new still house. Increase energy efficiency
• Ensure no loss of production during the commissioning phase.
• Seamlessly transition operations to the new facility.

Approach

Allen Associates (HPE) Ltd was engaged to:

• Deliver detailed process and utility design for the new still house, including condenser heat recovery integration.
• Support the installation and commissioning of four new pot stills, condensers, and associated equipment.
• Develop and implement a staged commissioning plan to ensure production continuity.
• Coordinate with Ardbeg operations and contractors to align new infrastructure with existing systems.

Outcomes

• Six Pot Stills in Operation: During the commissioning phase, all six stills (the original two and the four new ones) ran concurrently - a landmark moment in Ardbeg distilling and a logistical and operational achievement unlikely to be repeated in the near future.
• Zero Downtime: Ensuring that whisky production continued seamlessly, avoiding any production loss and maintaining supply chain continuity.
• Preserved Spirit Character: The new stills were carefully specified and tuned to replicate the character and profile of the original Ardbeg spirit — maintaining quality while scaling output.

Outcomes

Allen Associates demonstrated how smart engineering design and close client collaboration can overcome complex logistical constraints and improve energy efficiency — enabling one of Scotland’s most famous distilleries to scale up production without pausing tradition.