Big milestone as stills are installed at new distillery
ANEW single malt Scotch whisky distillery which aims to breathe new life into an area of north-east Scotland has reached a major milestone with the installation of its stills.
The Cabrach Distillery in Moray is the cornerstone of The Cabrach Trust’s regeneration masterplan for the area. A social enterprise and the first community interest company of its kind, the Cabrach Distillery will distil, mature and bottle a single malt Scotch whisky on a limited scale, with bottles of The Cabrach whisky scarce and highly sought-after.
As a purpose-driven and community-owned distillery, the project aspires to meet the highest social and environmental standards, creating 12 full-time jobs and 50 volunteering opportunities in the process. All future profits will be legally enshrined to further progress the Trust’s regeneration vision.
The distillery stands at the centre of Inverharroch Farm, within painstakingly restored 19th-century stone steadings. It will also house a cafe and heritage centre.
World-renowned coppersmiths Forsyths, based in Rothes, built the copper stills which have now been transported to The Cabrach.
In a first for the whisky industry, the trust agreed a unique partnership with Forsyths which included a generous philanthropic contribution.
Now, in recognition of its support, the trust will enshrine Forsyths as a founding partner alongside the Ethos Foundation and Bently Foundation, which have both supported the project. It has also received funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Government.
Ahead of opening in the summer, the distillery has introduced the Cabrach Collective, a small community of “founding champions”, which will be limited to 1849 members, a nod to the old steadings which have stood at Inverharroch since 1849. Membership includes exclusive benefits and is available for £1245.
The distillery has also unveiled its inaugural whisky proposition, The Feering, named after the first furrow ploughed which acts as a guide for all the rest. The Feering Early Harvest edition is a blended malt which marries together single casks donated by four local Speyside distilleries surrounding The Cabrach. The distillery will reach another landmark with its first distillation in August.
A registered charity formed in 2013, The Cabrach Trust was set up to preserve the cultural heritage of The Cabrach and safeguard its remote community. It has developed a community-led regeneration plan that will see the development of projects such as the historic distillery and heritage centre.