Glenmorangie single malt Scotch whisky has opened the doors to its ground-breaking Lighthouse distillery near Tain in the Scottish Highlands. 

The innovation centre has been created to give Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden (below) and his team the opportunity to redefine every aspect of their craft and let their imaginations run wild.

Glenmorangie is part of the Moët Hennessy whisky division, which also includes Ardbeg, Bailie Nicol Jarvie, Queen of Scots and Westport. The Lighthouse architects – Barthélémy Griño – have created works for other LVMH brands, including Berluti, Dior and Louis Vuitton.

The multi-million-pound Lighthouse is named for its landmark approach to whisky. Like an actual lighthouse, the 20m-high stillhouse can be seen for miles around. Offering unique flexibility with ingredients and processes, it is designed for deliciousness, rather than yield.

Key areas of innovation include:

• Stillhouse: Equipped with two of the giraffe-high stills which enable Glenmorangie’s delicate, fruity spirit. But the new stills feature a host of modifications which allow them to alter spirit character by acting as if they were shorter – or even taller.
• Brewhouse: Constructed in the traditional style of the main Distillery, this stone building offers scope for myriad experiments with barley, water and yeast during mashing and brewing.
• Sensory laboratory: Above the stillhouse, with coastal views, the laboratory offers Dr Bill’s team the rare chance to study raw spirit and play with their experiments as they evolve.

Dr Bill said: “Our Lighthouse is the new home of imagination. Here, we’ll indulge our most fantastical ideas as we strive to create a whole array of different flavours. We will play with raw ingredients, and make small adjustments and big changes in ways never tried before. Nothing is off limits, as long as it’s delicious.”

The distillers will also explore corn and rye whisky production.

Thomas Moradpour, President and CEO of The Glenmorangie Company, said: “Global demand for Glenmorangie is growing significantly. The first of its kind, our Lighthouse experimental distillery is the keystone of our plans to stay at the forefront of taste innovation. By giving our talented creation team free rein, we will welcome even more consumers worldwide to enjoy delicious whiskies.”

Sadly, the lighthouse isn’t open to the public – although visitors can see its stills through some of the striking building’s full-length windows. Here’s a sneak peak inside:

Glenmorangie has also released a new single malt Scotch whisky that’s been specially made for mixing – X by Glenmorangie. Click here to read more.