La Martiniquaise created Starlaw distillery to produce a light, easy-drinking whisky that aligns with the style of its Label 5 blend and can easily be traded for malt whisky from other distilleries. The distillery is also capable of producing neutral grain spirit. The column stills were designed without high supporting steelwork, which required significant structural work to ensure they were properly supported at the foundation. While La Martiniquaise claims to be France’s second-largest spirits group and owns two Scottish distilleries, along with a broad portfolio that includes rum and port, it prefers to maintain a low profile in the public eye.
In 1969, the company launched Label 5, which is now France’s second-largest blend and the ninth-largest Scotch globally. In 2004, it built a maturation, blending, and bottling plant in Bathgate to support the brand. The company’s move into production began in 2008 with the acquisition of Glen Moray from Glenmorangie. With the expansion of the Label 5 range (now four variants), the company sought greater control over its grain requirements.
The plan to build Scotland’s first new greenfield grain distillery in 40 years began in 2007 and was completed three years later. With a capacity of 25 million liters, the distillery is fully integrated into the company’s existing operations. Starlaw produces both grain and neutral grain spirit (for vodka). The column stills are designed for flexibility, allowing various fractions to be withdrawn and increasing copper interaction, providing the company’s blenders with a broader range of flavors to work with.
In 2015, Starlaw planned to build an additional four maturation cellars, bringing the total to 25.
