Bacardi Limited announced the initial phase of its US$250 million dollar investment in Scotch whisky production has been completed. This investment is to meet growing demand for the premium portfolio of Dewar’s Scotch whiskies.

Dewar’s has undertaken a comprehensive redevelopment of an existing site in Parkhead, Glasgow, and has built five new maturation warehouses and a new blend center, as well as installed new bottling lines and packing equipment. The Dewar’s expansion project, which started in July 2007 and was one of the most significant investments ever in the Scotch industry at the time, will be completed in phases over ten years.

The Company also purchased more than 100 acres in central Scotland and developed a second maturation facility including six warehouses where Dewar’s ages whisky for flavor and smoothness. Three more aging warehouses are currently under construction and a blending facility will be built next year.  Dewar’s has also planted close to 100,000 indigenous trees including birch, rowan oak and beech to naturally enhance its new maturation facility in central Scotland and complement the surrounding landscape. Another 40,000 more trees will be planted over the next three years.

Overall, efficiencies in Dewar’s Scotch production have resulted in energy savings, and usage is down by 11% in distilleries over the past three years. Since fiscal year 2009, water usage has been cut by 17.5 percent, resulting in a savings equivalent to 300 Olympic swimming pools every year. At its Aberfeldy distillery, which produces the award-winning single malt at the heart of the Dewar’s blends, treated leftover water is cleaned by passing through a reed bed, an innovative natural filtration process to flow into the River Tay. In addition, the design and construction of the new facilities was undertaken by local suppliers and the vast majority of malted barley, yeast and packaging materials including glass, caps and cases are purchased locally to reduce “road miles” and cut carbon emission impacts.

Another sign of its move into the future, Dewar’s recently unveiled a new modern, bold and cohesive look and package design, visually linking its portfolio of premium blended and single malt Scotch whiskies.