Suntory Global Spirits Laphroaig distillery. Credit: Suntory Global Spirits

Suntory Global Spirits is seeking planning permission to expand and revamp its Laphroaig whisky distillery on the Scottish island of Islay.

The project includes plans to expand the site’s stillhouse, increasing the number of stills in the building from seven to 11.

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The Japanese giant also plans to take down the site’s visitor centre and restore the original ground floor of the malting building.

The visitor centre, which is currently in use, will be relocated on-site. Suntory Global Spirits said it estimates the Laphroaig distillery attracts 29,000 visitors each year.

Craig Martin, general manager of manufacturing operations for Suntory Global Spirits in the UK and Ireland, said: “Laphroaig Distillery has not benefited from transformative investment for over 100 years, and we want to improve its attractiveness to visitors, whilst boosting its production capabilities and sustainability outputs.

“We have proactively shared information about our proposals with the community and getting their feedback has been invaluable in shaping our final plans, which have now been submitted to Argyll & Bute Council.”

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A proposed maturation warehouse for the distillery will also be tasked with the storage of whiskies from Suntory Global Spirits’ Bowmore distillery, which is also located on Islay.

The changes at the Laphroaig distillery, if approved, are due to take place in phases.

As well as Laphroaig, the group also owns the Glen Garioch and Auchentoshan single malt brands.

In April, Suntory Global Spirits announced the completion of a trial to “decarbonise” its whisky production in Scotland using hydrogen fuel.

The company carried out the trial at its Yamazaki distillery in the Japanese city of Osaka. The trial was part of a project the company has dubbed WhiskHy, which is looking to use “decarbonisation technology” based on ‘green’ hydrogen.