Distillery desginer Allen Associates expands in Australia

A Stirling-based distillery designer has ramped up its international presence by winning a contract to create Australia's largest malt whisky distillery and opening an office in Sydney.

Allen Associates director Gregor Warren will lead the firms new Australian base. Picture: Contributed

Allen Associates has now started work on Sydney-based Archie Rose Distilling Company’s new botany facility, which will produce single malt whisky, rye malt whisky and gin.

Since winning the contract, the design consultancy has opened a dedicated office in the Australian capital, led by company director Gregor Warren, to act as a base for further expansion in Australia and East Asia.

The Scottish business has further added to its international footprint by securing deals to assist Melbourne-based Starward Distillery in increasing production and to design a bourbon distillery expansion in New York state.

Allen Associates director Warren said: “Archie Rose is a major player in the international distilled spirits sector, so when we were invited to present a feasibility study last year we grasped the opportunity.

“The botany facility will be unlike any other distillery in Australia and we are delighted to be involved in the project.

“The distillery will be custom built to accommodate Archie Rose’s production processes, including its six-malt single malt mash bill, extensive use of specially roasted malts, malted rye and individually distilled gin botanicals.

“We will also look to incorporate a number of energy efficient brewing and distilling features into the build.”

Will Edwards, Archie Rose founder, said: “The botany expansion not only allows us to tailor our plant, equipment and processes to suit our unique production methods, but also gives us the opportunity to consider end-to-end site sustainability, with the aim being to use less water, power and gas, and capture and reuse as much energy as possible throughout the distilling process.”

The news comes on the back of a year which has seen turnover at Allen Associates rise by 50 per cent to £1.9 million.

It now has a presence in 17 countries, with international projects accounting for 20 per cent of turnover, up from 10 per cent during the same period last year.