It’s not every day that a father and son team up to bring a new drinks business to the market, but that’s exactly what Uist islanders Angus A and Angus E MacMillan have done.
The duo have now launched their spirit firm’s inaugural trio of products inspired by their home of the Outer Hebrides.
Hailing from Uist, the locals have established a new independent bottling firm, MacMillan Spirits, which sees a whisky, gin and rum form the brand’s initial portfolio.
The duo are also behind Benbecula Distillery which they started construction on last year on the island. It will pay homage to Uist’s rich maritime heritage and will bring around 25 local jobs to the area, with around 65 nationally.
An investment of £12 million will be made to build the distillery and visitor centre which is set to open later this summer.
MacMillan Spirits – what’s available?
Of the brand’s new spirit collection, the Machair Gin is the father and son’s recipe which features wild angelica botanicals harvested on Angus’s Uist croft. It is produced by Holyrood Distillery on their behalf.
The Molucca Rum is an eight-year-old blend that has been imported and blended for their own, and the Wheelhouse Whisky is an eight-year-old Caol Ila first cask single malt which is also being bottled on their behalf.
The products will be stored in a central distribution centre in Glasgow and will be sent out from there.
The independent bottler has already employed a dozen people to help with branding, ecommerce and sales, as well as distribution, and Angus A, who is 69 and a former industrial engineer, is looking forward to hearing what the public has to say about their products.
Angus A has spent his life at the centre of the Outer Hebrides community and is one of the founding directors behind Scotland’s biggest community buyout in 2006. He is also growing his own bere barley for inclusion in their own whiskies, which will be produced at the distillery once it is in operation.
Working with is son Angus E, who is 35, has been a “brilliant” experience and Angus A says his background in electrical installation will be of huge benefit to the business.
Bringing tourism to Uist
Growing the economic development and repopulation of Uist is at the heart of the project, and Angus A says it is a great opportunity to continue to put the west coast of Scotland on the map.
He said: “You look at Islay with half a dozen distilleries, Skye, Harris and Barra and you see what they are doing on those islands with food and drink tourism. It is a great opportunity and a big deal for economic development.
“As a proud islander, I wanted to bring together flavours and stories inspired by the Outer Hebrides to MacMillan Spirits.
“Molucca Rum is my personal favourite. It’s inspired by Martin Martin’s 1703 book A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland, which talks about finding Molucca beans, sometimes known as sea hearts, on the Western Isles. Molucca Beans are smooth seeds from the warri tree, which wash up on our Hebridean beaches having been carried on the Gulf Stream from the Caribbean.
“We find these heart-shaped seeds hidden in the sand and tangled in the seaweed: a smooth, shiny seed the size of your palm – like a heart-shaped pebble but light as a husk. It’s such a special link with Scotland and the Caribbean.”
Each label features original, specially commissioned artwork by Minneapolis-based artist, Nick Dahlen.
Wheelhouse Whisky is priced at £65, while the Molucca Rum and Machair Gin retail at £45. All of the spirits are 46% ABV and sold in 70cl bottles.
For more information visit macmillanspirits.com
Conversation