PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY SERVICES

Establish a Distillery

The Portuguese Whisky Association supports entrepreneurs, investors and producers seeking to establish whisky and other spirit distilling operations in Portugal.

A copper still and wooden casks inside a Portuguese distillery

FROM CONCEPT TO LICENSED OPERATION

Project support, from concept onward

PWA can support project structuring, regulatory and excise requirements, technical planning, preparation of production projects, licensing documentation and liaison with the relevant Portuguese authorities. Each engagement is scoped according to the project and charged separately from membership.

PROJECT ROADMAP

The work behind a distillery

Exact approvals and documents depend on the site, process, products and scale. Use this as a starting framework with the project team and competent authorities.

01

Site, planning & building

Confirm land use and permitted activity; assess premises, access, licensing, utilities, drainage, fire separation and planning or building-control procedures.

02

Physical planimetry

Prepare dimensioned plans for production, fermentation, distillation, cask storage, bottling, materials, staff circulation, loading, waste and visitor areas where relevant.

03

Process maps & technical dossier

Map product flow from raw materials to dispatch. Describe equipment, capacity, utilities, cleaning, storage, cask handling, by-products, traceability and operating controls.

04

Yield, losses & production plan

Prepare fichas de rentabilidade e perdas, expected annual output, process yields, storage movements and records for excise and capacity planning.

05

AT Alfândega & excise

Assess the tax warehouse and authorised-warehousekeeper requirements, then prepare the application to the competent customs office. Official guidance calls for premises-licensing documents, proof of ownership or lease, and a forecast production plan with yields for production warehouses.

OFFICIAL EXCISE GUIDE
06

Fire safety & ANEPC

Determine the building use type and risk category with a qualified designer. Where required, prepare the SCIE project and technical plans; arrange fire-safety measures, submissions, inspection and staff procedures with ANEPC or the municipality.

ANEPC PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
07

HACCP & hygiene

Where food-business requirements apply, establish site-specific hygiene prerequisites and HACCP-based procedures, including hazard analysis, controls, monitoring, corrective actions and records.

DGAV HACCP GUIDANCE
08

Operations & compliance

Plan worker safety, training, equipment maintenance, environmental controls, water and effluent, waste, packaging and labels, excise records, product traceability and release procedures.

This is a project-planning guide, not a complete legal determination. Requirements vary with activity, premises, scale and risk classification and should be confirmed with competent authorities and qualified professionals.

SERVICE MODULES

Establish a Distillery

01

Initial Assessment

Project concept, intended products, site, scale, investment assumptions and a preliminary roadmap.

02

Regulatory & Licensing Roadmap

Identify and sequence relevant registrations, licences, excise requirements and project documentation.

03

Distillery Project Preparation

Production flow, equipment and capacity information, storage and maturation requirements, operating description and supporting project dossier.

04

AT / Excise Application Support

Prepare and coordinate relevant documentation for submission to the Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira and other competent authorities, within the agreed mandate.

05

Implementation Support

Operational procedures, documentation, project coordination and support during the transition from approved project to working distillery.

PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY SERVICES

For an enquiry, contact the Association.

REQUEST A CONSULTATION

PWA provides advisory and project-support services. Approvals, licences and authorisations are issued solely by the competent public authorities. PWA does not grant regulatory approval.