ONE of the most famous “lost” distilleries in the Scotch whisky industry has been brought back to life – after nearly four decades in mothballs.
Spirit is once more flowing at the “ghost” distillery of Brora in Sutherland following a three-year restoration project by owner Diageo. The reawakening comes 38 years after the distillery was closed during a period of excess capacity across the industry.
Diageo has revived Brora as part of a £35 million project which will also see it bring the celebrated Port Ellen distillery on Islay back to life. It declared that the investment marks a “major signal of confidence in the future growth” of the Scotch whisky industry.
The Brora brand sits within Diageo’s Reserve portfolio of premium and luxury spirits, which the company said accounted for 15% of its growth when it reported its interim results in January.
Ewan Andrew, president of supply chain and procurement at Diageo, said: “This is a new dawn for Brora – a distillery that is a beautiful new jewel in the crown of our portfolio in Scotland. I am particularly proud that Brora will be a carbon neutral distillery entirely powered by on-site renewable energy.
“This marks a major milestone on our journey to invest in Scotland, its rural communities and the future of Scotch whisky.”
The restoration work saw Diageo take down the 202-year-old Brora stillhouse and rebuild it exactly, while the distillery's two classic copper pot stills were refurbished the company's own coppersmiths.
Master distiller Stewart Bowman, who is a native to the Sutherland town and whose father was the last exciseman at the distillery, officially marked the launch by opening the Brora wildcat gates, and filling the first cask of Brora spirit in more than 38 years.
He said: He said: “In 1983, my father wrote in an old distillery ledger ‘Commencement of Brora Distillery silent season (undetermined period)’. Growing up in the village we often wondered whether Brora would ever return, but today we filled the first cask. It is with great pride that I can now say to my father, the Brora community, and all the ‘old hands’ that worked at Brora and helped to craft a legendary whisky, that the stills are alive and we are making Brora spirit once again.”
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