Laggan Bay

Type: Distillery

On 2 April 2026, Leonard Russell, his son Tom and distillery manager Malcolm Rennie filled Laggan Bay’s first cask, according to the producer’s account. Beside Islay Airport at Glenegedale, overlooking the bay that gives it its name, Ian Macleod Distillers’ new distillery is built for heavily peated single malt, with an installed capacity of one million litres of pure alcohol a year. [1][2][4]

Fact box

Where Laggan Bay fits on Islay

Passengers arriving by air land almost at Laggan Bay’s door, as trade reporting describes it. The distillery stands between Bowmore and Port Ellen, immediately beside the airport and overlooking the bay that gives it its name. The setting is part of its identity, not simply a convenient address. [1][2][6]

The project also brings a new owner into Islay distilling. Ian Macleod Distillers describes itself as family owned; trade reporting identifies Laggan Bay as its first distillery on the island and its first peat-led spirit. Its development partner was The Islay Boys, an independent bottling company. The roles are distinct: the producer identifies Ian Macleod Distillers as the owner. [1][2][4]

Leonard Russell has set out the ambition plainly: “We are not here to replicate what Islay already has.” That is a statement of intent, rather than an indication of how mature Laggan Bay whisky will taste. [1]

What Laggan Bay is known for

Heavily peated spirit is Laggan Bay’s intended calling card. At this early stage, its production plan and substantial installed capacity offer firmer reference points than a mature house style, which the first casks cannot yet establish. [1][2][3][6]

Handmade copper pot stills give the production equipment a traditional face. The distillation follows a traditional approach too, with spirit distilled twice. Yet much of the process is computer run: reporting describes a deliberately modern, automated operation behind the copper. Laggan Bay pairs traditional equipment and double distillation with modern control, rather than choosing one approach over the other. [3][6][8]

Capacity is not output

Laggan Bay’s installed capacity is one million litres of pure alcohol a year. That is the scale the distillery is designed to produce, not a record of its opening year’s output. It cannot be turned into a bottle total without further evidence. [1][3]

“Small craft distillery” is therefore a loose fit for a site with this production design. Laggan Bay is young and its owner is family owned, but neither tells the reader how much spirit it can make. Age, ownership and scale are separate parts of the story. [1][2][3]

Intended character, not a tasting verdict

“Heavily peated” is the stated style. No reliable measured peating level has been established, so there is no parts-per-million figure to attach to it or basis for matching it against another distillery’s malt specification. [1][2]

Russell describes the new make, the spirit before maturation, as “unmistakably Islay”, with earthy smoke and creamy complexity. Reported in the trade press, those are the producer’s observations of the young spirit, rather than this website’s tasting notes or a description of released mature single malt. They give an early indication of the character he is seeking. [3]

Malcolm Rennie’s return to Islay

Malcolm Rennie returns to his native Islay with experience gathered across the island and the mainland. He learned at Bruichladdich, Ardbeg and Kilchoman, then worked at Glen Moray, Annandale and Lochlea. In 2021, he was appointed manager of Ian Macleod’s Rosebank revival. [1][2][3]

At Laggan Bay, that career gives the new distillery both an experienced production manager and a personal connection to the island. Rennie’s work spans several approaches to whisky making, experience he brings to establishing this site. His role matters without making him alone responsible for its eventual character; Laggan Bay’s stated ambition remains to make something distinct. [1][2]

Story box: the first cask

Claim: Leonard Russell and his son Tom filled Laggan Bay’s first cask with Malcolm Rennie.

Verdict: Documented

What the record shows: The producer identifies the participants; opening coverage records the milestone. Evidence against or gap: None found in the supplied record. Earliest known source: The producer’s first-cask account, 2026. Sources: producer and opening coverage. Last checked: 7 November 2026.

Production timeline

Laggan Bay’s timetable moved before its first cask was filled. Planning permission, projected opening dates, the start of cask filling and the first public welcome mark different stages of the project. Read together, they trace its progress more clearly than a single opening date could. [4][5][6][8]

Eleventh or twelfth?

Laggan Bay was described as Islay’s twelfth distillery in 2024 coverage, but as “Islay’s 11th whisky distillery” by the producer at its 2026 opening. The supplied record classifies the numbering story as Disputed. [4][5][8]

Trade coverage attributes the change to the opening sequence: Laggan Bay opened before Elixir Distillers’ Portintruan Distillery. Reporting counted 11 working Islay distilleries as of 2 April 2026. That count belongs to a particular date and source; it is neither a permanent island total nor a statement that every site’s stills were running that day. [3][5][6]

Environmental plans and local commitments

Constructed wetlands are a tangible feature of Laggan Bay’s site, intended to treat liquid waste and support wildlife. Their purpose is specific. They do not establish environmental certification for the distillery or a measured assessment of its overall impact. [1]

Reporting records exploration of renewable energy options with Islay Energy Trust and Scottish Power, alongside an ambition to reduce the carbon footprint through what the company calls “green flame energy”. These remain reported plans and aims, rather than verified emissions results. [3][8]

The owner also aims to employ local people and mature casks on Islay. Both aims connect the project to its island setting, although a complete staffing or cask policy has not been established. [3][8]

What visitors and whisky readers should check

The first public opening took place during Fèis Ìle on 31 May 2026. It was a documented opportunity to visit; a continuing tour programme or permanent visitor centre remains unconfirmed. Before travelling specifically to visit, check current arrangements with the distillery, including booking, accessibility and age conditions. [1][4]

For whisky readers, the next date to understand is 2029. With the first cask filled in April 2026, trade reporting identifies that as the earliest possible single malt release under Scotch’s three-year maturation requirement. It is an earliest eligibility date, not an announced release date or a promise of a bottling. [2][5]

Where to go next

• Ardbeg: explore one of the Islay distilleries in Rennie’s earlier career.
• Bruichladdich: Port Charlotte and Octomore: follow another connection in his island experience.
• Kilchoman: read about another distillery where Rennie worked.
• Ardnahoe: continue through the island’s recent distillery development.

Sources

Source numbers follow the supplied fact sheet.

1. Ian Macleod Distillers. Our First Cask At Laggan Bay. Producer’s account, 2026. https://www.ianmacleod.com/news/laggan-bay-distillery-first-cask
2. The Spirits Business. Laggan Bay opens as Islay’s 11th distillery. April 2026. https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2026/04/laggan-bay-opens-as-islays-11th-distillery/
3. The Spirits Business. Ian Macleod reveals Islay distillery details. May 2024. https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2024/05/ian-macleod-reveals-islay-distillery-details/
4. ScotchMaltWhisky.co.uk. Laggan Bay Opens On Islay. 2026. https://www.scotchmaltwhisky.co.uk/lagganbayopens.htm
5. Islay Whiskys. Laggan Bay Distillery. Undated profile, supplied record checked November 2026. https://islaywhiskys.com/distillery/laggan-bay
6. David Tao, Forbes. A Look Inside Laggan Bay, Islay’s Newest Scotch Distillery. 26 August 2026. https://www.forbes.com/sites/david-tao/2026/08/26/a-look-inside-laggan-bay-islays-newest-scotch-distillery/
7. Laggan Bay Distillery. Home page. Undated, supplied record checked November 2026. https://www.lagganbay.com/

This desk-researched article uses the supplied verified fact sheet, retaining its distinctions between producer statements, trade reporting and unresolved information.

Last checked: November 2026