The owner of Carbisdale Castle is to launch her own whisky with income from sales being poured back into the Highland landmark.
So far only a limited number of bottles of Lady Carbisdale blended malt have been produced.
But eventually it is hoped to step up production and even make the whisky at a small distillery in the castle grounds.
Castle’s major restoration project
London barrister Samantha Kane bought the castle last year and has begun a £10 million restoration project.
She has already spent more than the £1.2 million asking price on the ambitious refurbishment and estimates annual maintenance costs at around £500,000-£1 million.
Plans includes creating a museum and restoring the surrounding woodland.
She has worked with Thompson Brothers at Dornoch Distillery to create the Lady Carbisdale whisky.
Once licences are in place, they will be sold for around £40-£50, primarily from the castle website which will be available soon, and later from a planned on-site farm shop.
Eventually it is planned to make the whisky using water from a burn on the castle estate and barley supplied by local farmers.
Ms Kane said: “I’m trying to run the castle and estate sustainably by introducing income revenue which will also enhance the local economy.
“I don’t want the whisky be massed-produced, but to be about rarity rather than quantity and the appreciation that it’s made locally.
Plans for a castle distillery
“This is the first step of the production. My ambition is to have my own distillery at the castle.
“But the association I’ve had with Dornoch Distillery is very much appreciated and I’m proud of what we have achieved.”
Ms Kane, now known as Lady Samantha Kane of Carbisdale, has moved from the city and made the castle her permanent residence.
Her ambition is to recreate the castle as a “legacy” project in the style of her predecessor, Mary Caroline, Duchess of Sutherland, who had Carbisdale built between 1905 and 1917.
Mary Caroline was the second wife of George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland.
Ms Kane has recently spoken out against plans to build a new power line from Spittal in Caithness to Beauly.
She said it threatens the castle restoration project, including building a distillery, and is considering legal action to stop it.
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