Multinational drinks company Suntory has announced that it will be merging the operational teams at Bowmore and Laphroaig on Islay, one of the Inner Hebrides islands. 

Coming the week after warnings from The Scotch Whisky Association about a dip in global exports of Scotch, the decision comes in the context of a category downturn. 

It also happens in tandem with the most recent tariff scare, in which President Donald Trump promised a 15% global tariff, set to hit Scotch. 

Suntory insisted that both Bowmore and Laphroaig remain priority brands, and that distilling will continue at both. Management teams will also remain distinct to safeguard the identity of each brand. 

On this, Alistair Longwell, head of distilling and environment at Suntory, said: “Bowmore and Laphroaig are iconic Scotch whisky brands with exceptional heritage and craft, and they are long-term priorities for Suntory Global Spirits. 

“As part of our commitment to producing whisky of the highest quality in a sustainable and efficient way, we are making operational adjustments on Islay to align production with long‑term demand.” 

Suntory said that visitor centres will remain open at both distilleries, which is important to the island. 

It continued that no compulsory redundancies will be made in the process of merging; however, the company has opened a voluntary redundancy programme for staff at the distilleries, should they wish to take it up. 

At the same time, in a summary of last year, Suntory said that its earnings in 2025 experienced a drop amid difficult trading conditions. 

“In 2025, markets around the world experienced slowdowns, which resulted in a challenging business environment for many of our regions and businesses,” the company said.