WORK on a "state of the art" visitor centre at the Caol Ila distillery on Islay is set to go ahead after plans were approved by Argyll and Bute Council.
The distillery's shoreside warehouse will be upgraded to include a bar with views over the Sound of Islay, while a new visitor experience will position Caol Isla as the island home of the Johnnie Walker, the world's best-selling Scotch whisky brand.
The plan is part of a £185m project by the brand's owners Diageo to develop a Johnnie Walker tourist attraction in Edinburgh, with satellites in the distilleries on Islay, near Tranent (Glenkinchie), Moray (Cardhu) and Sutherland (Clynelish).
The four distilleries all contribute to Johnnie Walker blends and have been chosen as representative of the 'four corners of Scotland' and the regional flavour variations which go to make up the internationally famous brand. Between them, the company hopes they will create a whisky tour of Scotland, with visitors to the capital encouraged to travel to visit some of the more rural distilleries.
The Edinburgh visitor centre, an £150m conversion of the former Frasers department story at the West End of Princes Street, will feature separate floors, each thematically linked to one of the four distilleries, while also telling the story of the other eight Diageo distilleries which contribute to Johnnie Walker.
Construction of the Islay development is expected to begin within weeks after the council granted formal planning permission. As well as the bar and visitor experience, a new foot-bridge will link new landscaped hillside parking facilities allowing visitors to enter the roof of the distillery warehouse.
Leigh Aitken, Caol Ilsa Distillery Brand Home Manager said: "This is very exciting news and we want to thank Argyll and Bute Council and all our neighbours for their support. Everyone involved is now very much looking forward to work getting under way.
"This is a major investment project that will not only transform the Caol Ila visitor experience but will add further to Islay's reputation as the greatest whisky island in the world."
Diageo is also currently investing £35 million in the revival of the 'lost' distilleries of Port Ellen and Brora.
The plans follow the opening last year of The Macallan's spectacular £140m distillery-cum-visitor centre in Moray, designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners .
In August last year, it was also reported that Scotch whisky tourism reached a record high with 1.9m people in 2017 having visited distilleries across the country.
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