First new distillery for 200 years could be tonic for city

Former creative director with F1 team creates brand new Tayside tipple

Dundee’s first distillery in almost 200 years has been opened by a former creative director with Formula 1 team McLaren.

Andrew Mackenzie, 63, a former lecturer, has set up Verdant Spirit Co, which has launched its first tipple, Verdant Dry Gin.

Originally from London, his passion for victuals led him to Abertay University, where he completed a master’s degree in food and drink innovation.

He said inspiration for the brand came while studying at the university.

Mr Mackenzie said: “Food and drink is my passion and that’s what brought me to Dundee.”

“I started to look at the white spirits industry in Scotland.

“I wrote a small paper and got really interested in the home cocktail market and saw nobody was doing premium products.

“My background is in high value brands – I was a creative director with McLaren – so I know about that.”

Although the distillery’s first drink is gin, he hopes to extend the range to include vodka, rum, vermouth and – a distant dream – rye whisky.

He has installed a small but versatile 500 litre (110 gallon) still in a former factory engine house at Edward Street Mill, in Forest Park Place, Blackness, and plans are being drawn up to create a visitor centre and shop to be opened later this year.

He received his final food standards approval certificate last week and Verdant Dry Gin will be in selected off-licences this week and available on the firm’s website.

Royal Mile Whiskies, the Edinburghbased firm which also operates the Drinkmonger chain, has taken a first order of 120 bottles.

Picture: Steven Brown. Andrew MacKenzie inspects a bottle of Verdant gin after production at the Edward Street Mill, the first new distillery in Dundee for 200 years.