Gartbreck distillery information
Gartbreck is a long-planned distillery on the island of Islay, sited on an old farm on the shore of Loch Indaal near Bowmore.
Planning permission was originally granted in 2014 to owner Jean Donnay, with early coverage detailing plans for the site. The project then stalled for years amid a dispute with partner Hunter Laing over land earmarked for warehousing.
Chivas Brothers took over the site in 2023, with a reported £76 million budget and a target completion of September 2026, and submitted a fresh planning application in late 2024.
As of writing, the distillery has not yet been built and remains in the approval and construction stages. When completed, it’s expected to become the 13th distillery on Islay, producing a classically peated Islay single malt using traditional methods, including wooden washbacks and direct-fired stills — a technique shared by only a handful of other distilleries, including Glenfarclas, Glenfiddich and Springbank.
The water source for the distillery will be Grunnd Loch, which lies some 900 metres away from the distillery.
Gartbreck whisky
The intention is to produce a single product of whisky, which will be a typical peated Islay, with an intended PPM of 30/35. They will primarily mature in Bourbon barrels, though plans exist to also employ the use of Sherry casks.
Distillery info:
Detail |
Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Gartbreck |
| Region | Islay |
| Logo |  |
| Status | Construction |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Water source | Grunnd Loch |
| Owned by | Gartbreck Distilling Company |
| Address |
Gartbreck distillery +(44) 1496 511301 |
| Visitor centre | Planned |
| Website | http://www.gartbreck.com |
| http://www.twitter.com/Gartbreck_Islay | |
| https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gartbreck-Distillery/403260619809951 | |
| Community | N/A |
| Map |
Distillery Setup:
Component |
Capacity |
Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Mash tun | 1 tonne | ? |
| Washback | 2,500 litres | ? |
| Wash still | 2,500 litres | 1 |
| Spirit Still | 1,500 litres | 1 |
| Expected yearly output in LPA (Litres of pure alcohol) | 60,000 litres |
Images provided by Gartbreck distillery’s Twitter account.