Ardgowan welcomes new Distillery Manager
Laura Davies - new Distillery Manager at Ardgowan
Ardgowan Distillery welcomes new Distillery Manager to lead next chapter.
As part of its commitment to crafting world-class single malts with both integrity and innovation, Ardgowan Distillery is delighted to announce the appointment of Laura Davies as its new Distillery Manager. With more than a decade in the whisky industry, Laura is known for her expertise in distillery operations and business growth, Laura joins the team as Ardgowan prepares to commence operations in Spring 2025. This follows the recent delivery of Ardgowan’s state-of-the-art copper stills, crafted by McMillan Coppersmiths Ltd. from Prestonpans.
Laura Davies - new Distillery Manager at Ardgowan
Ardgowan Distillery, nestled in Scotland’s Inverclyde region, is dedicated to blending the best of traditional craftsmanship with forward-thinking vision to create extraordinary whiskies. Laura joins Ardgowan following a successful tenure at The Welsh Whisky Company (Penderyn), where she was pivotal in growing the business’s turnover from £10 million to£23 million over seven years while overseeing operations across three production sites and visitor centres.
Martin McAdam, CEO of Ardgowan Distillery, commented,
"It is a pleasure to welcome Laura to the Ardgowan family. Her deep industry knowledge, from distillation to business development, aligns perfectly with our mission to establish Ardgowan as both a community cornerstone and a respected name in the global whisky market.”
Laura honed her skills under the late Dr Jim Swan, renowned as the “Einstein of Scotch Whisky” whose mentorship equipped her with invaluable expertise in whisky production and maturation techniques. Commenting on her appointment, Laura said:
"Ardgowan is at such an exciting point in its journey. Joining at a moment when we are building the distillery and operational team from the ground up is something special. I look forward to applying all that I have learned to help Ardgowan craft an exceptional Single Malt that will resonate with whisky lovers worldwide."
Beyond her role in distillation, Laura’s extensive experience spans compliance, continuous improvement strategies, and new product development, having commissioned three major production sites and scaling operations from 90,000 litres of pure alcohol (LPA) per annum to over 1 million LPA per annum. Her career highlights also include the development of three award-winning flavoured gins. Laura also brings a strong academic foundation to her role. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Forensic Science with Criminology from the University of South Wales and an MSc in International Innovation Management, combining scientific rigour with business acumen-essential qualities for leading a modern distillery
About Ardgowan Distillery:
Ardgowan Distillery is bringing a new era of whisky craftsmanship to the historic Ardgowan Estate near Inverkip, just 30 miles west of Glasgow. Backed by over £20 million in investment, Ardgowan’s eco-friendly facility—set for completion in spring 2025—aims to integrate sustainable practices with traditional whisky-making, working towards becoming carbon-neutral in the coming years
