Plans for farm-to-bottle distillery
Plans for Campbeltown's first farm-to-bottle distillery in almost 200 years have been submitted to council chiefs.
R&B Distillers Ltd, owner of the Isle of Raasay Distillery, is hoping to redevelop the building at Dhurrie Farm, with visitor facilities and on-site visitor accommodation as well as a distillery.
Under the plans, a premium single malt whisky brand from the new Machrihanish
Distillery would be produced at the site, which, it is hoped, would appeal to a global audience of whisky drinkers.
A decision on the plans is expected from Argyll and Bute Council's planning officers by early May, and comments can now be submitted by the public.
A statement on the proposals said: “The business has developed a process and wood policy for the Machrihanish single malt that will reflect the Campbeltown style of whisky with a contemporary approach to complement its existing Isle of Raasay single malt, as well as increasing the company's total addressable market and production output.
“The planned initial production output of the Machrihanish Distillery will be 480,000 litres of pure alcohol per year.
“It is R&B's ambition to create a truly sustainable distilling process that doesn't use any fossil fuels or CO2 emitting fuel in the production of their whisky. In addition to that, they plan to use regenerative biological farming practices which will improve soil and have a positive impact on the surrounding environment, creating greater biodiversity on the Dhurrie Farm.
“The Campbeltown region is
‘It is R&B’s ambition to create a truly sustainable distilling process.’
an underserved, sleeping whisky region in Scotland, once home to over 30 distilleries and now just three.
“The local community has welcomed the news of plans for new distilleries in the region, creating inwards investment, as the company predicts to create over 20 new jobs.
“In addition, R&B Distillers' co-founder Bill Dobbie's family were from the Campbeltown area, bringing extra conviction to the Machrihanish Distillery's part to play in regenerating a rural community in Scotland.”
R&B Distillers bought Dhurrie Farm last year from Tommy and Elaine Ralston, who retired after 40 years of dairy farming, during which they built up the farm and dairy business and won several industry awards.
It is thought that the new distillery, if approved, will be the first of its kind to be built in Campbeltown for more than 180 years, with one of Campbeltown's last farm distilleries, at Drumore Farm, closing in 1837.
News last year of plans for Machrihanish Distillery and a second new Campbeltown distillery – South Star Spirits' Dál Riata in the heart of Campbeltown – saw claims the town, known as the Victorian whisky capital of the world, is tipped for a “whisky renaissance”.
To view the plans for Machrihanish Distillery, visit the council's planning portal at argyll-bute.gov.uk and use the reference number 22/02458/PP.