Scotland’s newest whisky distillery is using a 130-year-old recipe to celebrate its opening.
Benbecula Distillery, in the Outer Hebrides, will release the first 150 casks of its limited-edition single malt spirit on August 5.
Founder and owner Angus MacMillan dreamt of creating a new single malt whisky, inspired by his Outer Hebridean home.
He developed the £6.5 million “landmark” distillery at Gramsdale at the northern end of Benbecula.
Production started last month using the recipe as well as a “unique” malting technique.
Mr MacMillan enlisted the services of renowned master distiller Brendan McCarron to create the spirit.
New Benbecula Distillery malt
The new single malt has been created by master distiller Brendan McCarron, who revived a recipe last used by distilleries such as Glen Ord and Highland Park in the 19th century.
The malting technique involves kilning over fires laid with peat and foraged heather.
Bere barley, grown on Mr MacMillan’s croft, is among the key ingredients of the spirit, adding both minerality and salinity.
“The spirit will be classically maritime in style; smoky on the nose, with salty and sweetly peated notes”, said Mr McCarron.
He will achieve this by using peated malted barley so “smoke does not dominate” and allows “fruity and floral notes to shine through”.
250-litre Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks are being used in the maturation of the inaugural Benbecula single malt spirit.
Around 350,000 litres of whisky will be produced at the distillery annually, with bourbon and sherry casks being used in the maturation.
Benbecula Gin will also be produced there, and the company’s own rum will be available from the distillery.
Global enquiries
Mr MacMillan has seen interest from around the world since starting production last month.
The distillery is made up of a glass-walled extension in the form of a lighthouse and houses a copper pot still.
Mr MacMillan said: “Since we announced the start of production, we’ve had calls and emails from around the world inquiring about buying our whisky.
“As well as people arriving at the distillery to ask about it.
“We’re delighted that a dram which we believe truly encapsulates the unique essence of our island is causing so much interest and helping put Benbecula firmly on the whisky map of Scotland.”
The distillery lies on Benbecula, between the Hebridean islands of North and South Uist.
10 new jobs for locals have already been created at the distillery and the workforce is expected to continue to grow to around 25.
It is also helping support a total of 75 direct and indirect roles.
Conversation