Distilleries are fast becoming part of the Stucco & Stucco DNA. It started with the Hendricks visitor centre up in Girvan, Ayrshire at the huge Grants site last year, known as the Gin Palace’. Since then, our reputation for helping designers and architects create welcoming and impressive venues within the growing craft spirits and beers market has gone off the charts.
Glendronach is the latest we have worked in, an excellent single malt whisky maker, which was created in the Valley of Forgue nearly 200 years ago. This beautiful old distillery is added to a line up of many other distilleries that have already approved our work samples, and planning is underway. To be honest, and as a man that likes a drink, the teams’ we take to distilleries, always enjoy the work and the surroundings.
During a little downtime, we make sure we take a tour. So we can get a feeling for the atmosphere (and not just the ‘Angel’s Share’ in the barrel warehouses), by understanding the history of a particular distillery. Glendronach is one of many in the Speyside area, all with their own combinations of ingredients and water from the local springs. The main secret is the shape of the huge ‘coppers,’ the vats that create the spirit.
It was a really fascinating tour and to see the whisky across all the stages of its development, and then into bottles is surprisingly technical.
We visited the warehouses, lined with barrels, some dating back decades, the aroma is absolutely delicious, I would describe it as the smell of rich fruitcake. I’m no whisky drinker, but standing there I could be converted!
The project was relatively small compared to some. But as always, with the 2-man team, we wanted to make sure we left a lasting impression not only on the distillery team but all of their customers too.
It was a fun and an educational job that I suppose you could say, “left us in high spirits’!
Bring on the rest, it’s time to make Speyside and all it’s malt whisky heritage a Stucco & Stucco stronghold. Just as the original distilleries like Glendronach did nearly two millennia ago.
Andy
