By Scott Wright

DIAGEO has underlined its confidence in the future growth prospects for Scotch whisky as it opened the doors again at its previously mothballed Brora Distillery in Sutherland.

The whisky giant has officially recommenced production at the “ghost” distillery following a meticulous restoration project – 38 years after its stills fell silent.

The reopening is part of a £35 million investment by Diageo to revitalise two of its most-cherished mothballed distilleries, with work on the revival of Port Ellen on Islay expected to start soon.

Both Brora and Port Ellen were closed during a period of over-capacity in the Scotch whisky industry in the early 1980s.

Brora’s revival will be celebrated by Scotch whisky enthusiasts, with Diageo having rebuilt its 202-year-old stillhouse “stone by stone”, restored its original copper pot stills, and taken painstaking steps to recreate the character of the original spirit.

Ewan Andrew, the company’s president for supply chain and procurement, said the project underlines Diageo’s faith in the future of the industry, which is showing signs of recovering from the fall-out from coronavirus in global markets.

A similar project to bring the famous Port Ellen distillery out of mothballs is on track to be completed in 2023.

Speaking from the stillroom at the Sutherland distillery, Mr Andrew told The Herald the Brora relaunch is “really exciting, not just for Brora, but for Scotch.”

He said: “[It] shows real confidence for the future to see something so special as Brora come back into the Scotch whisky footprint. [It is] a restoration project that has been meticulously planned and executed. People will experience that when they come.”

Diageo had access to a rich archive of material as it undertook the Brora project, which includes hundreds of documents. The company also consulted former employees as the work was pieced together, including Geoff Smyth, father of new master distiller Stewart Bowman, who was the last exciseman at Brora when it ceased production in 1983. Diageo master blender Jim Beveridge was closely involved too.

Mr Andrew said: “It has been an amazing restoration project. Every effort has been taken to replicate as closely as possible the conditions, [and] the equipment.”

He also emphasised the efforts which are being taken to replicate the original spirit, which were a “huge part of the restoration”.

Noting that the three-piece Brora Triptych, unveiled in April from original stock, had showcased a range of profiles, from “earthy” and “fruity, waxy” to “lightly peated”, he said: “We have been looking to recreate these exact liquid types that are so revered and so rare today, so that the adorers of Brora can really appreciate that that is what we are trying to bring back to life.

“The whisky specialists, when they come, will be delighted to see the traditional mash tun and the restoration of that with the original stills. They will get to see, touch, feel and experience everything that was Brora back in 1983.”

He added: “There will be an amazing visitor experience. It is a smaller distillery, so it will feel more intimate… linked to the exclusivity of some of these great liquids.”

A biomass boiler, powered by sustainably sourced wood chips from the north of Scotland, has been installed, helping to ensure the restored distillery will be carbon neutral.

Whisky lovers can book tours of Brora now, and will be able to sample rare releases of the whisky on site. These include The Brora Distillery Collection: Hidden Beneath, a Brora 39-year-old from 1982. While it will be some time before the new spirit distilled at Brora will be brought to market, there is still a “magical stock” of the whisky, which Diageo will tap into for future releases.

Meanwhile, Mr Andrew said Diageo hopes to reopen Port Ellen, which has been mothballed since the early 1980s, in 2023. He said: “On Port Ellen, we are being very sensitive to the island community, and getting back into construction. We expect construction to restart in the coming weeks or maybe in the next couple of months.”

“The major focus is about making sure we are building that with the community’s support.”

Mulling the general outlook for the company, Mr Andrew said Diageo was “cautiously optimistic”.

“We are confident enough in this fiscal year that we are seeing momentum, emerging stronger, winning market share and doing that across multiple categories, Scotch, Tequila, [and in] big markets like North America, China,” he said.