Ardbeg has bought a hotel near its Islay distillery.
This multi-million pound investment means the brand will, from the end of this month, own the Islay Hotel in the nearby town of Port Ellen.
Located on the shore, with traditional whitewashed walls, it is frequented by many of Islay’s visitors, many of whom arrive on the ferry from Kennacraig on the Kintyre peninsula. It has 13 bedrooms and a popular restaurant and bar.
Previous owner, Roland Worthington-Eyre, who developed the hotel, is now looking forward to retirement following the sale.
He commented: “The dream was to rebuild the Islay Hotel which had been closed for 20 years and I am really happy that was achieved, but now it’s time for me to retire.
“I would like to thank all those who were involved in rebuilding, financing and running the hotel since it reopened in 2011, without whose dedication and loyalty it would not be the successful hotel it is today.”
Gary Witham, hotels director at Christie & Co, which handled the sale, said: “This was a rare opportunity to acquire an island hotel built to modern, high quality standards, with sustainability at the forefront.
“Although undisclosed, the price achieved for the property shows the strength of buyer appetite for quality hotels in the Scottish Highlands and island, plus the benefit of a well-structured sales process.”
The Glenmorangie Company were represented by the commercial division of Galbraith, providing property and building due diligence, with legal advice provided by Harper MacLeod. Morton Fraser acted for the sellers.
The purchase is the latest in a series of investments Ardbeg has made on the island. The distillery recently built a new still house and enhanced its visitor experience.
It is also currently partnering to build a new community hub in Port Ellen and has made direct contributions to roads and pathways on the island.
In July, Ardbeg pledged to donate £1m to Islay causes from the record-breaking sale of its oldest ever whisky, the 1975 Cask No. 3.
President and chief executive Thomas Moradpour said: “Ardbeg has been rooted on Islay for over 200 years - and since we plan to be distilling on the island for at least 200 more - we are excited to invest even further in our homeland, by purchasing the Islay Hotel and creating a world-class whisky and hospitality experience.”
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