From blending site to distillery
In 2004 La Martiniquaise opened the First Blending Company in Bathgate to mature, blend and bottle its Scotch, its first step toward becoming self-sufficient in whisky.1,2
Starlaw, also called Glen Turner distillery, is a grain whisky distillery that La Martiniquaise-Bardinet opened in 2010 at its blending and bottling site in Bathgate, West Lothian.1,2,3 It was built to make a light whisky that matched the style of Label 5 and could be swapped with other distilleries for their malt whisky.1,4 Its spirit is distilled, matured, blended and bottled on a single site.4,5
It mashes wheat or maize with 9% malted barley, then ferments it for 72 hours.1 It uses mains water and water it reclaims.1 Its two column stills distil continuously under a vacuum, which the owner says makes a cleaner, lighter spirit and saves energy.1,4 The columns let different parts of the spirit be drawn off and copper contact increased, giving the blenders a wider range of flavours.1,4 It can make 25 million litres of alcohol a year.1,6 Its grain whisky goes into the owner's blends, such as Label 5 and Sir Edward's, and it also makes neutral spirit for vodka.1,3,5 Wikipedia says it also supplies whisky for Cutty Sark.1,3,5
In 2015 four more ageing cellars were built, so the site could mature over 600,000 barrels.1 In August 2021 councillors refused plans for 21 more warehouses, which planning officials backed, after objectors raised a black fungus commonly found near distilleries and green-belt protection.6,8 In 2024 the owner said the whisky is aged in its own cellars at the site, which can hold 800,000 casks, all ex-bourbon.4,5
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