Distil PLC

Opening of Blackwoods Brand Home

Distil plc (AIM: DIS), owner of premium drinks brands including RedLeg Spiced Rum, Blackwoods Gin and Vodka, and Blavod Black Vodka, announces the opening of Blackwoods Brand Home and appointment of Brand Home Manager, Tomos Brooks.

Blackwoods Brand Home will be opening to trade customers by invitation from 1^st February 2026, with bookings now open to the public for tours taking place from 12th February 2026.

The new Brand Home is housed in a renovated stable building neighbouring the Ardgowan Whisky distillery on the historic Ardgowan Estate. Located on the west coast of Scotland, just 40 minutes from Glasgow airport, and 20 minutes from Greenock Cruise Terminal, the Ardgowan Estate has a rich history spanning 800 years.

The opening of the space will allow the Blackwoods team to connect directly with customers, immersing them in the brand heritage and showcasing the range to build advocacy and strengthen affinity to the brand.

The Brand Home will provide a new revenue stream for the business, with profits invested back into the brand to accelerate growth, as well as provide the opportunity to develop new, limited expressions that allow us to showcase the natural larder of the coast and surrounding area.

The Greenock Cruise Terminal, 20 minutes-drive from the distillery, is expected to see over 136,000 passengers pass through in 2026, with many visiting the local area. Distillery visits is one of the leading attractions for visitors to Scotland, with over a quarter of visitors including a trip to a whisky distillery, gin distillery or brewery during their trip.

The building

The renovation has remained sympathetic to the building's history, while ensuring the Blackwoods brand is communicated at every touch-point, with interiors designed by Studio Percale.  

Guests can expect traditional slate roof, original stone entrance arch, characterful concrete floors and rustic dark woods balanced with plush banquette seating, rich jewel tones, bespoke-crafted dressers, and a show-stopping granite-topped bar.      

Guest experience 

Blackwoods Brand home will offer a range of tours and tastings starting from £10, a cocktail masterclass, and a 'Gin School' offering visitors the opportunity to distil and hand-label their very own bottle of gin.  

Each tour guest will be welcomed with a Blackwoods gin and tonic on arrival, before being given a guided history of gin distillation and the Blackwoods brand, and taken behind-the-scenes to learn the workings of the 1,000L Scottish-made copper still used to produce Blackwoods gin and vodka. Tours will end with a tasting flight of the Blackwoods core range.

Cocktail masterclasses will also run with guests receiving a mini distillery tour, guided tasting and mixology workshop where they will learn tips and tricks to shake-up three classic Blackwoods cocktails.  

Gin School participants will be given a tour before selecting from a range of botanicals to craft their unique flavour profile and then guided through distilling their own 70cl bottle of gin, which they will be able to label and sign before taking it home to enjoy with friends and family. Recipes will be kept on file for guests to be able to re-order their bespoke recipe.

Bar & shop 

The space will also operate as a cocktail bar and bottle shop, offering a range of Blackwoods signature cocktails to enjoy in the comfortable bar lounge, and a range of core and exclusive Blackwoods bottlings, gift sets and merchandise.   

All experiences can be booked on the Blackwoods website: blackwoodsgin.co.uk/pages/visit

Brand Home Manager

Joining the Blackwoods team to lead the space is Tomos Brooks, who has a wealth of experience in the spirits industry, having worked in Japan and Scotland as a brand ambassador for the Chivas portfolio.

Most recently, Tomos was deputy supervisor of the Scapa Distillery visitor centre on Orkney. During his time at Scapa, Tomos was in charge of designing guest experiences, managing the retail operations, training staff and hosting consumer and trade events. 

Commenting on his appointment, Tomos said: "I've long been a fan of Blackwoods, and I'm thrilled to join the team at such an exciting time for the brand. The space that has been created here is world-class and I look forward to welcoming our guests."

Sarah Kingsbury, Marketing Director, said: "The development of the Blackwoods Brand Home has been a labour of love, and designed to convey the sophistication, warmth and generosity that sits at the heart of the Blackwoods brand.

"We're thrilled to now be able to invite guests in to enjoy the space, and look forward to sharing further updates, insights and exclusive releases with shareholders as the space develops."

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