The Cabrach Distillery, which will use historical methods of distilling and bottling, will be located in the wild and remote Cabrach area on the southern edge of Moray and in the heart of Speyside.
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| Artists impression of The Cabrach Distillery |
The distillery will be operated by the Cabrach Trust, with the aim of putting the Cabrach back on the whisky map and stamping its place in the earliest history of Scotch whisky production. Cabrach is said to be one of the birthplaces of Scotch whisky, and was famed for its illicit stills and smuggling in years gone by.
The plans for the distillery, which will be the first in Cabrach for 150 years, include the distilling, maturation and bottling of a unique whisky, using the blueprint of an early 19th-century distillery and made with historical methods.
Construction work is expected to begin next summer, with production getting underway in 2019 and the first bottling of mature whisky from the historic distillery releases in 2024, with 150,000 bottles expected to be produced each year.
All ingredients for the whisky will be sourced locally with water coming from natural springs located on the land surrounding the distillery. The whisky will be matured in the Cabrach in quarter casks and bottled on site.
Commenting on the news, Sue Savege, Executive Director of the Cabrach Trust, said: “Now we have planning permission in place we are aiming to start work on site in the summer of 2018. In the meantime, we are busy working on the final specification of the distillery, which will use historical methods, and conducting further research in partnership with the ICBD into the exact balance of process, ingredients and maturation, as it's crucial we get the flavour right for our very own Cabrach whisky."
She went onto say: “The distillery and heritage centre are at the heart of our plans to regenerate the Cabrach and contribute to a sustainable future for this beautiful but remote part of Moray, which has seen a huge decline in population over the years. This is a major milestone for us and we are very grateful to the Moray Council, which has been extremely supportive of the plans, and to all those who have contributed to the project. We are looking forward to seeing the plans reach fruition for this important region in the story of Scotch whisky.”
A share offer will be announced next year, giving supporters the chance to get involved at an early stage and own a small piece of whisky history.
Posted by Steve Rush