The dream of building a distillery is exciting, but the reality is far more complex than many realise. It takes far longer too. Beyond the romance of gleaming copper stills and the gentle hum of tanks and circulating systems, there are significant hurdles to overcome.
Building a distillery is a big project to manage. Planning permission, business viability, managing upfront CAPEX vs ongoing costs, factoring sustainability considerations and setting up visitor experiences are all juggled simultaneously.
To gain insights into the realities of designing and building a distillery, we spoke to Bari Reid, the director of Organic Architects and a person with extensive experience in the field. His firm specialises in designing distilleries that are not just functional but future-proofed for long-term success.
“You could go ahead and build a distillery, sure. But all the other things [branding, visitor experience, long-term production goals] are critical to success. You don’t want to just end up with a production plant that doesn’t align with your broader business strategy.”
The role of a distillery architect
Organic Architects position themselves in a slightly different way to a conventional architectural firm, acting more as partners in a journey and through providing services beyond blueprints.
“We’ve had projects in planning since 2014. People often don’t realise how much has to happen before they can even break ground. Distillery design isn’t just about putting stills in a room. It’s about balancing function, aesthetics, and the future needs of the business.” says Reid. “A distillery needs to be an efficient workspace, a brand statement, and a visitor attraction all at once.”
Reid’s firm typically has a dozen active distillery projects at any given time, all moving at different paces. Some take years to come to fruition due to planning, funding, and logistical challenges, while others materialise in the space of 18-24 months. “Our job isn’t just to create a layout. We have to ask tough questions – how will this space work in five years? Will your production needs change? Will your brand evolve? Good design accounts for those unknowns.”
Challenges start quickly when at planning stage
One of the most time-consuming steps in building a distillery is obtaining planning approval. It’s also a stage where most soon to be owners are self-funded too. Typically, investment comes in play once that approval has come in, and according to Reid, that can lead to some natural tensions around what must be carried out up front, and what can wait until later.
“There’s a balance of factors in a project and it depends how risk adverse a person is. Some items must be addressed early on, others you wait until investment is in place.”
When viewed from a client’s perspective, it’s understandable too. It’s challenging to fund your way through all the discovery and pre-planning work that needs to be done. Investigating access to water, power, and transport can highlight unforeseen challenges, while ground contamination or structural concerns can also lead to higher build costs.
It’s natural then, that some owners will opt to wait to discover all of the details until they have secured funding – as discovering them can put you in a less favourable position to secure it in the first place…
Equally, obtaining planning approval can take much longer than expected, sometimes years. Therefore, once there’s been a reasonable amount of due diligence it’s best to start the application process as early as possible, and continue the journey once it’s been submitted.
Balancing space vs. expansion when building a distillery
Distillers often struggle to decide whether to build only for their current needs or to allow space for future expansion. It’s not just about how confident someone is in their ability to succeed, nor how deep are their pockets are though.
“Lindores Abbey, for example, was built with the ability to double its production capacity. The space is already in place for future expansion.” “It wasn’t one of ours [projects] but as a contrast – Port of Leith’s model is completely different, they prioritised tourism from day one, even before production started and have a known cap on volume they can’t expand beyond.”
It’s a balance between about operational capability and how that fits into long-term business planning.
Seemingly, the worst is to be caught in the middle and run into space constraints too soon, leading to frequent retrofits. Poor forecasting will be more expensive in the long run and a costly error to make.
That’s not to say go big or go home. Far from it. While future planning is wise, overbuilding can drain capital unnecessarily. Reid advises a phased approach to development. “Distillers should ask themselves: What does year one look like? What does year five look like? You don’t necessarily need to build your full visitor centre or warehouse on day one.”
More than just production; the visitor experience factor
Modern distilleries aren’t just production sites; they’re brand homes. Tourism is now a major revenue stream across craft and multinational operation alike. Distilleries that ignore this often regret it later. Furthermore, Tourism is also one the most common sectors that government and state departments are open to (or actively have) ways to subsidise builds. Grants, pathways, programmes and beyond are all areas that are worth exploring at an early stage.
Traditionally, distilleries have separated production from tourism spaces, but Reid believes this is a missed opportunity.
“A lot of places have a big production shed and a visitor centre, and they only touch where you walk through. We’re now designing distilleries where visitors move through production areas in a controlled way, rather than seeing it all from a distance.”
Distilleries like Dunnet Bay (home of Rock Rose Gin) have capitalised on local tourism by adapting their offering to match visitor demand. Initially, their retail presence was modest, consisting of a simple bookshelf acting as a shop. However, with the rise of the North Coast 500 and an increase in passing visitors, they strategically expanded their retail and visitor space to create a more immersive brand experience.
“The key was recognising the potential early and scaling appropriately,” says Reid.
This ability to evolve in response to tourism trends highlights the importance of designing distilleries with flexibility in mind. It also shows the value in designing and building a space once you know your clientele. Knowing who will be visiting and what kind of experience they expect is the best way to achieve success.
Different audiences – whether casual tourists, VIP high spending guests, or more informed trade professionals – require tailored experiences that can significantly shape how a branded environment is built.
“One of the biggest mistakes we see is distilleries designing visitor experiences before they truly understand their audience. If your main visitors are locals stopping by for a bottle, you don’t need a high-end guided tour experience—you need a welcoming retail space. Vis versa, if you’re expecting global spirits fans, then a more immersive, behind-the-scenes experience makes sense” Reid explains.
By identifying visitor demographics early in the process, distilleries can ensure that infrastructure and experiences are aligned with long-term business goals.
Sustainability & efficiency when building a distillery
Sustainability isn’t just an ethical consideration – it’s a business necessity. As Reid put it “Energy costs and waste management are major expenses. If you can save energy, your cost per litre goes down. That’s where efficiency meets profitability.”
Increasingly, distilleries are sending spent grain to anaerobic digestion plants rather than traditional livestock feed. Many are incorporating heat recovery systems to reuse excess energy.
“We’ve seen a shift towards fully electric stills, heat pumps, and closed-loop water systems. It’s expensive upfront, but it pays off long-term.”
However, Reid also warns against relying too heavily on sustainability as a brand message. “Every distillery needs to have a plan to get to Net Zero. But don’t forget that Scotch as an industry is moving towards net zero. In ten years, if your only USP is sustainability, you’ve got nothing left. Sustainability is an expectation now, not a differentiator. Brands need to build a compelling story beyond just their environmental efforts.”
Distilleries that are truly forward-thinking are integrating sustainability in a way that enhances efficiency and quality, rather than just ticking a regulatory box. It’s about making smart choices that reduce costs and add value in the long run. (see Modernising Distilleries with Better Environmental Solutions for more on this)
Advice for those who planning on building a distillery
“Too many people rush into building before fully understanding the site’s constraints. Taking the time for feasibility studies saves a lot of money and stress down the line,” saysReid.
Through identifying the potential risks, you can also reduce delays in site approval. Equally, Reid explains that “a phased approach allows distillers to scale smartly rather than overbuilding and facing financial strain. Expansion should be built into the plan, not forced as an afterthought,”.
From talking to many distillery owners and visiting their sites, we would add the following: it’s best to know what your brand proposition is and how your distillery fits into that.
Bottle design, brand values and tone of voice might seem separate from bricks and mortar, but it all interrelates. You might not have the exact details of what your on shelf offering will look like, but you must have some idea of where you are heading before breaking ground.
The best distillery projects are the ones that work through the details concurrently while keeping an eye on the bigger picture. Understanding your target audience, production needs, and long-term goals ensures that each phase of development aligns seamlessly with the overall vision.
Building a distillery: The architecture of success
Building a distillery isn’t just about putting up walls and installing equipment. It requires deep strategic thinking about space, sustainability, and business growth.
As the craft spirits industry grows, the best-designed distilleries will be those that think beyond production and embrace a holistic, long-term strategy.
For distillery founders looking to navigate this complex process, seeking expert guidance is key. Whether it’s working with a specialist distillery architect, engaging with consultants on sustainability, or connecting with industry veterans who can act as mentors and guides, investing in the right expertise can save time, money, and future headaches.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to building a distillery,” says Reid. “Every project comes with its own challenges and opportunities. The key is to be strategic from day one, leveraging the right knowledge to create a space that works now and in the future.”
