“A STUNNING multi-levelled visitor experience” is being planned for East Lothian’s whisky distillery.

Ambitious proposals for Glenkinchie Distillery, near Pencaitland, have been sent to East Lothian Council.

The documents outline intentions to “significantly expand and enhance the experience” the tourist attraction offers to visitors from around the world.

Ramsay Borthwick, Glenkinchie Distillery manager, said: “This is a very significant and exciting point on our journey to transform Glenkinchie.

“We are all incredibly excited about the plans, which will surely capture the imagination of Scotch whisky fans of all ages, tastes and experience from around the world.

“We want to celebrate the distillery’s history and combine this with a new state-of-the-art visitor experience which will not only link us to the new global Johnnie Walker visitor attraction in Edinburgh but will establish Glenkinchie as a must-see for tourists in Scotland.”

The submission of formal plans follows an exhibition last month when the proposals were revealed for the first time.

Similarly, talks have already taken place with the council and Historic Environment Scotland.

The plans centre around the renovation and conversion of Glenkinchie’s red brick warehouse buildings into a multi-levelled visitor experience, including a welcome lounge, retail unit, bar and cocktail-making classroom, tasting rooms and a cask draw experience.

Externally, a number of non-original buildings will be removed to allow extensive landscaping to create a welcome garden in front of the visitor experience.

If planning permission is successful, work will get under way next year and should be complete in 2020.

The distillery is one of a number of Diageo distilleries that will see major work undertaken as part of the company’s £150m investment in Johnnie Walker and single malt scotch whisky visitor attractions around Scotland.

As part of the plan, Glenkinchie will be linked to a new global visitor attraction in Edinburgh for Johnnie Walker – the world’s biggest-selling Scotch whisky brand.

Glenkinchie is a key part of the Johnnie Walker single malt portfolio, providing the light, floral, classic Lowland style of single malt for Johnnie Walker scotch whiskies.

Whisky from Diageo’s distilleries all over Scotland contribute to Johnnie Walker, but four distilleries – Glenkinchie, Cardhu, Caol Ila and Clynelish – will be linked directly to the Johnnie Walker venue in Edinburgh, representing the ‘four corners of Scotland’ and the regional flavour variations crucial to the art of whisky blending.

Together these sites will create a unique Johnnie Walker tour of Scotland, encouraging visitors to the Capital to also travel to the country’s rural communities.