CAMPBELTOWN has been tipped to see a “renaissance” of its whisky-making heritage as plans were disclosed for another new distillery in the Argyll and Bute town.
The proposed Dal Riata Distillery would have the capacity to produce 850,000 litres of pure alcohol per year, and utilise barley grown locally at Dunadd Hillfort, near Lochgilphead.
Behind the plans, which have been submitted to local authority chiefs by Bowman Stewart Architects of Lochgilphead, are three directors. Iain Croucher is the founder and owner of North Star Spirits, an award-winning bottler, Ronnie Grant is owner and managing director of RB Grant and has more than 25 years’ experience in the construction sector, and David Stirk, former founder and owner of Creative Whisky Co and author of The Distilleries of Campbeltown.
Their plans come just days after R&B Distillers, owner of the Islay of Raasay Distillers, revealed its own plans to build a distillery in the once-booming whisky region of Campbeltown. It has acquired Dhurrie Farm in Machrihanish where it plans to build a farm-to-bottle distiller, producing 400,000 litres of pure alcohol per year.
Dal Riata takes its name from the ancient Gaelic kingdom on the west coast of Scotland and north-east of Ireland.
At one stage there were around 30 active distilleries in Campbeltown. Today there are just three: Glen Scotia, Springbank and Glengyle.
Mr Croucher said: “Dál Riata Distillery will be much more than just a single malt whisky production facility; it will be friends and family, it will be business, it will be social and believe us, it will be fun. A distillery is nothing without its supporters. To be able to connect with people around a table discussing our production methods, wood policy or our maturation strategy, or simply to catch up with old friends, I can only imagine will be the most magical whisky experience. The addition of this distillery to the Campbeltown region will reinforce the town’s place in the story of Scotch and Dál Riata will be a new chapter to an already incredible history.”
The team behind the Dal Riata distillery have launched three new limited-edition whiskies to mark the launch of a new range of bottlings under the South Star Spirits brand. The range comprises a Highland 10-year-old, Speyside 10-year-old and Islay 8-year-old single malts, each expression a vatting of 10 hogsheads.
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