Even the most jaded whisky tourist can’t help but feel a little giddy upon arriving at Lagg, so striking are its lines silhouetted against a panorama encompassing the Firth of Clyde, with Ailsa Craig – that volcanic pyramid of granite – set in the middle of its vista like a crown jewel.
We approach from the east of the island, having spent the night in Lamlash, and overshoot Lagg’s entrance before braking to double back, so well does the distillery blend into the landscape. It’s a regular occurrence according to Fred, senior tour guide and Lagg ambassador, and it’s not by accident. “South islanders are a bunch of moaners,” he explains. “I know this because I’m from the south of Arran.”
Given such tendencies, the surrounding community naturally balked at the idea of a distillery in their midst, and how it might alter their views and landscape. To appease these residents the distillery’s architects incorporated low slung roofs sloping into the countryside, lined with a carpet of grass that changes colour with the seasons – all the better to camouflage a distillery and confound first time visitors.
It’s a clear day and the views across the water to Kintyre are breathtaking, so we make our way from the carpark slowly, all the better to take in these many carefully considered details (which also include a dog run and an EV charging station – respect.)
Inside, the visitor centre is equally impressive, and it’s quickly apparent that Lagg is part of that new brigade of distillery built as equal part tourist attraction and equal part production facility. If not for the whisky one could easily mistake Lagg for an art gallery or museum with its reception desk set back from the entrance, leaving visitors to explore the open space on their own, be it for a coffee and a whinge (as the locals are wont to do), a spot of shopping in its well-stocked boutique, or to simply enjoy the heady views from the terrace while waiting for the next tour.
We book the Vaults Tasting that’s about to start, and find ourselves seated around a barrel in a room decorated with the ubiquitous warehouse kitsch, and fair play: given such young whisky – not to mention the majority of Lagg’s visitors being general tourists – there’s little reason to license a warehouse for public tastings. That said, a monotonous guide can quickly dull the best cask samples (which admittedly were impressive for such young spirit) so we cut the session short in search of lunch.
It comes as no surprise that both Lagg and its sister distillery at Lochranza boast first rate cafés, in keeping with the increasing number of Highland distilleries that are upping their hospitality game. That said, the view from the Kilmory Café clearly has the edge, though its home baking comes a close second (millionaire shortbread for the win!) on a menu that favours local producers where possible: Arran chutney, Arran mustard, Arran ice cream, Arran oaties. And a proper poutine! Made with cheese curds from a local creamery! Topped with onion gravy, braw!
Upstairs the Whisky Bar tempts us further with grazing boards of charcuterie and seafood – still more Arran cheese, in-house mackerel paté, Lagg tartare sauce, please and thank you – and at reasonable prices for such a remote location. Curiously, they are offering a wider selection of Arran (the whisky) and its peated doppelganger (Machrie Moor) than we could find at Lochranza. Given that Lagg’s mission is to produce a heavily peated malt, we design a whisky flight that pits Machrie Moor against young Lagg, and find a comfortable seat outside under the covered terrace. In hindsight this is money better spent than the Vaults Tasting, though in fairness warehouse tastings across Scotland generally offer about as much value for money as distillery exclusive bottlings, which is to say none at all.
We’re booked on the afternoon tour so continue our wander through the visitor centre. It’s never easy to market a new distillery, so kudos to Lagg for leaning into Arran’s rich history of illegal distilling with interpretive panels that recount the island’s bootlegging lore, including some of its more notable characters such as Robert Armour, the Campbeltown coppersmith who fashioned the illicit stills that were smuggled to Arran, and Mary McKinnon, jailed for hiding a small barrel of whisky under her skirt.
Between these bits of storytelling (interspersed with show-and-tell panels that explain the basic building blocks of whisky, such as ‘peat’ and ‘grain’), comfortable seating (and lots of it), and a well-provisioned café with a view, it makes Lagg an idyllic destination for genuine whisky tourists looking to take in an ‘experience’ while parking the family — and the dog! — guilt-free, for an hour or two.
Our Explorer Tour starts out on the main level with a film displayed on the floor, and it’s an engaging one at that, not to mention a refreshing change of pace from the usual opening credits. We move outside for a quick overview of location and landscape that includes an apple orchard gestating fruit for cider, and what will eventually be Scotland’s first apple brandy, watch this space. Back indoors we enter the production area to review Lagg’s washbacks, mashtuns and stills, its kit gleaming new, all spic and span. For even the geekiest whisky fan this is a sterile, functional space, with none of the historical charm to be found at Scotland’s oldest distilleries.
It’s also where a guide’s enthusiasm – or lack thereof – can make or break a tour, especially for a brand new distillery. Unlike Lochranza, where staff are all well established and of long tenure, Lagg’s crew are easily half as old and considerably less experienced, as noted during our Vaults Tasting. That said, most working here are Arranachs from the island, and some, like Fred, are the very best kind of guide: genuine whisky lovers eager to share their passion and knowledge, as well as local gossip. (“Even our senior stillman was opposed to the distillery build, so yeah, moaners.”)
While it’s always the low point of any distillery tour to be herded into the shop like Highland sheep, Lagg does it to a high standard, and we end up in an inviting space without the awkwardness that often marks the end of a ‘standard’ tour. There is whisky for sale, of course, and their first batch of Lagg Corriecravie has just arrived (a peat-and-sherry powerhouse that has my name on it), displayed alongside a few pieces of branded merch. Otherwise, the shop has foregone the usual tartan tat in favour of local artisans and a tasteful complement of ‘Arran’ souvenirs that run the gamut from comestibles to jewellery to soap to feel-good-arts-and-crafts, all with enough local and environmental cred to justify spending your money.
It’s yet another example of whisky tourism done well, and full credit to Isle of Arran Distillers for setting such high standards at both their distilleries, whether they be welcoming whisky lovers or day trippers out on a jolly. We are leaving Lagg in good spirits with our bellies full and thirst quenched; Arran has made for a satisfying stop on our west coast whisky tour, with scenery as striking and rugged as you’ll find along the West Highland Way. And in truth it feels good to get off the whisky trail’s beaten path: with just an overnight detour we’ve taken in two of Scotland’s newest distilleries, and explored a stunning yet relatively empty part of the island.
And once again, it must be said: Arran is lovely! So much so that we debate the merits of staying an extra day, but ultimately find none: save for walking or golfing, there are only so many soulful views and scenic roads one can reasonably digest. For all its loveliness, in and of itself Arran feels bland and devoid of character, having given itself over to holiday lets and second homes, its population of retirees enjoying tea and scones when not frequenting the art studios peppered across this very picturesque island.
Meanwhile Arran’s youth depart for bright lights, big cities given the island’s limited opportunities for employment, and even more limited rental housing, a scenario that plays itself out all over the Highlands. “It’s easy to feel trapped here once the ferry stops for the evening,” Fred confides, and given the scant selection of lodging and dining, one can see why.
That said, between Lagg and Lochranza, the island has earned its place on Scotland’s whisky trail, and both distilleries have a firm handle on the hospitality side of their business. Better than most in truth — that they are making first rate whisky here is all the more reason to visit.