Ardbeg appoints first woman distillery manager in modern history
Ardbeg on Islay has named Bryony McNiven as its new distillery manager, the first woman to operate the distillery nearly 200 years since the Macdougall sisters.
Having grown up down the road from the distillery - with her father a stillman - McNiven has transitioned from having a summer job at Ardbeg, to being its brand ambassador in Sweden, and then spending six years in its whisky creation team alongside director of whisky creation Dr Bill Lumsden and master blender Gillian Macdonald.
After a stint away to study chemistry at Glasgow University, she returned to Islay in 2018 as Ardbeg’s visitor centre planner, as well as being part of its sensory panel. After a recent appointment as co-chair of the brand’s Committee, she will now be in charge of the stills at the distillery she’s spent her entire career with.
Her appointment follows the departure of Colin Gordon and marks the first time in modern history that a woman has held a similar role. She follows in the footsteps of sisters Margaret and Flora Macdougall, who took over the running of the distillery in 1853 from their brother John, who established Ardbeg in 1815.
Caspar MacRae, President and CEO of the Glenmorangie Company which owns Ardbeg, said of the news: “I can’t think of anyone better than Bryony to take on the role of Ardbeg distillery manager. Not only is Bryony an extraordinarily talented whisky expert and a passionate Ardbeggian, but she knows our brand better than almost anyone on the planet. I look forward to working closely with Bryony as we forge a fabulously smoky future for Ardbeg.”
Of her new role, McNiven said: “Ardbeg has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I’m thrilled to be taking the reins at a distillery which means so much to me and my family. Not only have I got some incredible female role models behind me in Flora and Margaret Macdougall, but I also have a fabulous team to work with. We are already hatching smoky schemes to bring even more exceptional Ardbegs to our fans. Watch this space.”
McNiven will lead Ardbeg’s production from 1 January 2026.
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