Hendrick’s Gin Palace

William Grant and Sons appointed Blyth & Blyth to undertake the Lead Consultant, Principal Designer, Civil and Structural, and Building Services Engineering roles to deliver a new gin distillery and brands home experience like no other, and to be fitting to the ethos of the Hendrick’s Brand.

Location: Ayrshire
Client: W M Grant & Sons
Cost: £11m
Completion: August 2018

Located at their Girvan Distillery complex on the site of a demolished warehouse, the build incorporated the process aspects of the gin distillery including three gin stillhouses, two of which were fitted out for production, with the third allowing for future expansion.

Tank farms, common to the three stillhouses, and associated pipebridges, loading bay and infrastructure were incorporated to the rear of the site

To the front of the build, the brands home experience included a glasshouse, walled garden and various internal spaces fitted out with bar, lecture theatre and labs, which all focused around the brand’s experience.

Key challenges

One of the key challenges on the process side was the coordination of the design to ensure that the still and associated equipment could be installed into the building in a phased manner whilst the external tank farm and adjacent Stillhouse where live.

On the building itself the key challenge was the incorporation of the brand’s fitout into the building fabric, as the brief was fluid but need to be finalised to ensure the build program was maintained.

Results

The production of the facility meet the Clients requirements and the brand’s fitout has achieved a building fitting for the Hendrick’s brand.

“Edrington have worked with Blyth and Blyth for the past 15 years on various projects throughout the group and during this time we have developed a close and trusting partnership. B&B offer the full range of engineering services, allowing us to have a one stop shop on engineering consultancy requirements, with the obvious benefits this brings. B&B experience in the whisky industry is second to none which has the double benefit of not wasting time and money having to explain the process each time. As said previously, Edrington have been working with B&B for more than15 years and with a fair wind this relationship will continue for a further 15 years and beyond.”

George McKenzie Engineering Director, The Edrington Group