Image: Incoming managing director Scott Sneddon

 

InchDairnie Distillery has announced a change to its leadership. Effective 1 May 2024, current managing director Ian Palmer will hand over the role to Scott Sneddon. 

 

Palmer has been active in the whisky industry for more than 40 years. In 2015, he founded InchDairnie Distillery. The distillery’s first release was RyeLaw, a single grain whisky which launched in 2023. 

 

Sneddon commented: “We will forever be grateful for Ian’s foresight, innovative spirit and willingness to seek the boundaries of Scotch whisky. Ian has been a key driver in developing the award-winning InchDairnie bottle and in securing the equipment such as our unusual hammer mill and mash filter, that has enabled us to distil winter barley, unmalted barley, rye, wheat, oats, and create future classics such as Scotch sour mash and pot still whisky”.

 

Sneddon is currently distillery director, and has been with InchDairnie since long before it began production. His previous roles include stints with Glen Ord and Glenkinchie distilleries. In his new position he will be highly involved in the development and promotion of upcoming whisky brands KinGlassie, a peated malt coming in 2025, and the InchDairnie Single Malt expected in 2029. 

 

Reflecting on his planned departure, Palmer said: “From the outset, it has always been the intention for Scott to take over my role. Nobody knows more about the intricacies of the running of the distillery, from every little bolt to secret yeast recipes, cask purchasing, visionary flavour extraction, and spirit innovation, this is a natural evolutionary transition.”

 

Although he will no longer hold the managing director position, Palmer will remain as chairman of the board for InchDairnie. As Sneddon said: “Ian has been an inspiration, not just to me, but the entire distillery team and to many in the industry… And fortunately, Ian will not be far away…”