Leven distillery
{{Short description|Whisky distillery}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox whisky distillery
| Name = Leven distillery
| Type = Lowland
| Image =
| Image size = 180px
| Caption = Entrance to the Leven plant
| Location = Leven, Fife, Scotland
| Owner = Diageo
| Founded = 2013
| Founder =
| Status = Active
| Source =Town supply
| Stills =
| Capacity = 250,000 L
| Brand 1 =
| Type 1 =
| Age 1 =
| Cask 1 =
| ABV 1 =
| Taste 1 =
| Brand 2 =
| Type 2 =
| Age 2 =
| Cask 2 =
| ABV 2 =
| Taste 2 =
|image=File:Entrance to Diageo's works at Leven - geograph.org.uk - 5240101.jpg|stills=1 wash still (1,000 L)
1 spirit still (1,000 L)}}
Leven distillery is an experimental Scotch single malt whisky distillery and bottling facility in Leven, Scotland. It is owned by the drinks giant Diageo. The bottling and packaging facility claims to be the biggest packaging plant on the planet.{{cite web |url=https://sltn.co.uk/2023/10/12/diageo-at-leven-major-milestone-for-the-worlds-biggest-bottling-plant/ |title=Diageo at Leven – major milestone for the world’s biggest bottling plant |author= |publisher=Scottish Licensed Trade News |access-date=31 January 2024}} It is also therefore reported as Diageo’s largest packaging plant in the world.{{cite web |url=https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/people/diageos-leven-plant-marks-50th-anniversary-of-bottling-iconic-drinks-4361122 |title=Diageo’s Leven plant marks 50th anniversary of bottling iconic drinks |author= |publisher=Fife Today |access-date=31 January 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://scottishgrocer.co.uk/2023/09/27/diageo-leven-celebrates-half-a-century/ |title=Diageo Leven celebrates half a century |author= |publisher=Scottish Grocer |access-date=31 January 2024}}
History
The bottling plant was created at Leven, Fife in 1973 to bottle various Scotch whisky products. The facility also bottled non-whisky products such as Smirnoff vodka, Gordon’s gin and other beverages.{{Cite web |title=Leven {{!}} Scotch Whisky |url=https://scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia/10959/leven/ |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=scotchwhisky.com |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Forsyth |first=Ian |date=2020-03-25 |title=Fife is a major hub for drinks giant Diageo |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/business-environment/business/1217743/fife-is-a-major-hub-for-drinks-giant-diageo/ |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=The Courier |language=en-GB}}
In 2005, Diageo created the Leven’s Process Liquid Development Area (PLDA). This was a new blending and filtration facility to focus on new product development.{{Cite web |title=Explore the micro-distilleries run by mega-distillers - Whisky Magazine |url=https://whiskymag.com/articles/explore-the-micro-distilleries-run-by-mega-distillers/ |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=whiskymag.com}}
In 2013, a fully functional distillery was established at Leven to allow for dedicated experimental distillation projects, becoming Diageo’s 29th working distillery.{{Cite web |last=Bosco |first=Federico |date=2018-01-27 |title=The New Distilleries in Scotland |url=https://www.cigarslover.com/en/new-distilleries-scotland/ |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=CigarsLover Magazine |language=en-US}}
In 2023, staff at the bottling facility on the distillery site staged a series of industrial action walkouts over pay.{{cite web |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/23298498.diageo-workers-leven-whisky-plant-walk-pay/ |title=Diageo: Workers at Leven whisky plant walk out over pay |author= |publisher=The National |access-date=31 January 2024}}
Operations
The Leven site employs 590 people.
The site is powered by an 8,000 solar panel array.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Whisky distilleries in Scotland|state=collapsed}}
{{Coord|56|11|58.2|N|3|01|30.2|W|display=title}}