Distiller tempted out of retirement
WORLD-renowned whisky distiller Jim McEwan has been appointed production director of Ardnahoe Distillery on Islay - 18 months after he retired.
The Islay-born whisky industry icon, who has 53 years’ experience under his belt, has been hired by Hunter Laing & Co, the family-run Glasgow whisky company behind the first distillery to be built on Islay for more than a decade.
Ardnahoe is being built on the north-east coast of Islay and will become the ninth distillery on the island. It expects to start distilling whisky in early 2018.
As production director at Ardnahoe Distillery, McEwan is playing a pivotal role, from shaping its design and installing his preferred pieces of distilling equipment, to fine-tuning the production processes and selecting casks.
Prodigious career
McEwan retired from the whisky industry in July 2015 after a prodigious career that began in 1963.
Reflecting on his decision to come out of retirement, McEwan said: ‘I had intended to ride off into the sunset, but I’ve known Stewart for years and have always been impressed with Hunter Laing whisky.
‘Then I visited the distillery site and it absolutely blew me away. It’s an incredible spot up on a hill, overlooking the Sound of Islay out to Mull and across to Jura.
‘It felt as though the stars were aligning. The amazing location, my history with Islay, my relationship with the Laing family, their passion for the project, plus my chance to get involved with the design of the distillery for the first time in my career all made it feel it was meant to happen.’