ARDGOWAN Distillery has appointed a sales and marketing director as construction continues to progress on its £20 million ‘cathedral of whisky’ in Inverclyde.
Muir Construction is leading the build of the net zero distillery, with it designed using low environmental impact composite cladding, as well as timber and steel materials to create a modern Nordic long hall.
The distillery is expected to be producing its own spirits in 2024, with David Keir announced as its sales and marketing director. David has more than 25 years’ experience in building premium spirits brands, including Bruichladdich and The GlenDronach.
Furthermore, as a founding director of The GlenAllachie Distillers Company, David will bring an understanding and knowledge of the Scotch whisky industry to the net-zero designed distillery.
Speaking on his appointment, David commented, “With construction now underway, it is great to be joining the company at such an integral stage of the project.
“As we wait for Ardgowan Single Malt to come of age I look forward to working with the team and developing our existing multi-award winning brands; Clydebuilt & Inverdarach. Growing Ardgowan Distillery’s existing network of distributors across select global markets will be a priority, with positive discussions already underway with potential partners in the USA, Asia and Europe.
“Our UK home market is also very important. Specialist retailers have had a challenging time of late and the recent duty increase has added to this. However they perform a crucial role for emerging brands like Ardgowan Distillery and for discerning consumers who like to seek out something a little dierent. I’ll be focused on building a strong route to market with these retailers, supporting them wherever we can.”
Ardgowan Distillery chief executive, Martin McAdam, added, “David comes to us with a fantastic background, bolstering everything we do. Having a portfolio of experience as extensive and successful as David’s, we look forward to utilising his skills to help position Ardgowan at the forefront of the Scotch whisky industry.”
