Emma Gibbs’ Post

North Uist Distillery begins whisky production B Corp-certified North Uist Distillery has started distilling whisky and will produce grain-to-glass spirits using heritage barley. Located at Nunton Steadings on the Scottish island of Benbecula, North Uist was founded by Kate Macdonald and Jonny Ingledew in 2019. The 18th-century building that houses the carbon-neutral distillery was acquired by the brand’s founders in 2020. The company, known for its Downpour gin brand, is seeking to create a ‘flavour-forward’ whisky using heritage barley, a long fermentation and brewer’s yeast. Distillation occurs in squat stills that have been designed to fit under the low roof of the distillery building. The downward facing lyne arms of the stills are said to be able to capture more complex flavours, which will be complemented by ex-Bourbon, new oak, and oloroso Sherry-seasoned casks. The distillery will use bere barley, a ‘resilient and rich’ heritage crop that has grown in the high-pH soils of the Outer Hebrides for centuries, and was once Scotland’s primary barley. It has been sourced from local crofters on the island who use traditional and sustainable methods such as seaweed fertilisation. “Distilling whisky here is about more than just the spirit in the cask – it’s about honouring the past while supporting the future of our islands,” said Ingledew. “By using bere barley grown on Uist’s machair, we’re investing in a resilient crop that has evolved with our unique environment over hundreds of years. It’s a true taste of Uist and Benbecula and of the past, present and future we want for our community.” Whisky production is led by distillery manager and head distiller Jacob Crisp (formerly of Dornoch Distillery) who plans to produce one cask per day. North Uist Distillery claims to be one of only 65 B Corp businesses in Scotland. The use of locally grown bere barley will enable the company to produce whisky sustainably. Macdonald added: “We want to produce amazing whisky that honours and protects the land it comes from. That’s why our long-term goal is to have grain-to-glass whisky production using heritage bere barley, grown, malted, distilled and bottled at our historic home at Nunton Steadings. This first distillation is another important step towards that ambition.” Source The Spirit Business

The Islay region. 🥃 The whisky island! An island much revered by whisky die-hards and world-renowned for just ONE type of Scotch whisky flavour profile. What is Islay? The Islay region – pronounced EYE-LAH - is named after the island of Islay where all the region’s whisky is produced. It’s one of Scotland’s FIVE legally protected Scotch whisky-producing regions and perhaps one of the most popular. Where is Islay? Known as the Queen of the Hebrides it is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides. It’s only 25 miles long, north to south, and only 15 miles long, east to west, with a population of around 3200 people. How many distilleries belong to the Islay region? Currently there are 10 distilleries on Islay: Ardbeg Ardnahoe Distillery Bowmore Dist Bruichladdich Distillery Company Bunnahabhain Caol Ila Kilchoman Distillery Lagavulin Laphroaig Port Ellen - which has only just reopened after being mothballed for 40 years! Any other distilleries set to open? Yes, Elixir Distillers are opening Portintruan Distillery later this year and Ian Macleod and partners set to open Laggan Bay Distillery in 2025. Additionally, Chivas Brothers have announced plans to build an as-yet-unnamed distillery, which will be carbon neutral in its distilling operations from the outset. What is the region known for? The Islay region is world-known for producing PEATED whisky. Most Islay distilleries produce peated whisky by using malted barley that has been dried over a peat fire, EXCEPT for Laphroaig, who infuse their barley with peat smoke BEFORE the drying process. Peat beds are in abundance on the island and indeed all-over northern Scotland. There are few trees, so traditionally peat bricks (cut from the beds) were used as a source of fuel and that tradition continues today. 🪨 What does peated whisky taste like? It has a robust character with a flavour that can be described as smoky, earthy, and often medicinal. Like a late-night beachside campfire - in a glass! 🔥 Should I visit? Yes, it’s almost a MUST if you’re a fan of Scotch whisky, particularly peated whisky. Any festivals I should know about? Yes, Fèis Ìle, or the ISLAY FESTIVAL, is a gathering of Scotch whisky fans from all over the world in the last week of May. This festival is filled with whisky, music and culture. It’s extremely popular with whisky lovers who gravitate to this small island year after year to enjoy the music, and catch up with friends over a dram or two. 🥃 Most of the Islay distilleries will open their doors to welcome guests on different days of the week. Are you a fan of Islay whisky or peated whisky in general? Have you ever visited one of the distilleries on Islay, or do you plan to go this year? Let me know in the comments. 💫 FOLLOW me for more whisky-related insights. 🔗 CONNECT with me if you are interested in whisky content for your brand or business. Please attach a short note and I’ll get back to you asap. #whisky #scotland #scotchwhisky

𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐔𝐊 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 😍 The number of registered distilleries in the UK climbed by 8.7% last year, driven by new English producers. The UK welcomed 54 new distilleries in 2023 to reach a total of 387 (up from 356 distilleries in 2022), according to national accountancy group UHY Hacker Young.The number of distilleries in England soared by a fifth to 48 sites registered in 2023, up from 40 in 2022.Scotland and Northern Ireland each saw an increase of three new distilleries last year, while Wales’ distillery numbers remained the same.Among some of the new UK producers were Edinburgh-based The Port of Leith Distillery , which opened its new £12 million (US$14.5m) distillery last year. Meanwhile, Ad Gefrin launched a £14m (US$17.5m) whisky distillery and museum in Northumberland, England. Titanic Distillers also become the first working whiskey distillery in Belfast in almost 90 years when it opened last summer. According to HMRC data for the year ending 31 July 2023, UK drinks exports rose by 13% to £9.4 billion (US$11.8bn), up from £8.3bn (US$10.4bn) in 2021/22. Citing data from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), UHY noted that whisky now accounts for more than a quarter of all UK food and drink exports at a value of £5.6bn (US$7bn) in 2023. James Simmonds, partner at UHY Hacker Young, said: “The premium prices consumers are willing to pay for higher margin, luxury brands is seeing both entrepreneurs and bigger spirits companies continue to rush to capitalise on the market. Spirits, including whisky, have been one of the UK’s success stories. “The expectation is that, longer term, there is much more growth to come in the UK’s heritage spirits brands. “Strong levels of demand are seeing new distillers continue to enter the market, while savvy entrepreneurs in the business are also taking advantage of additional revenue streams such as distillery tours and tastings.” Scotch whisky exports were up by 14% by value last year when compared with 2019 figures, the SWA revealed. However, the figures are a decrease on 2022, which was described as a ‘bumper’ year.

Welcome to part 4 in a my series of reviews covering recent releases from the Dumbarton-based independent bottler, Dràm Mòr. In this installment, I’ll be getting to grips with a wee sample from Loch Lomond Distillery, arguably one of the most interesting whisky producers in all of Scotland. Loch Lomond is capable of producing a wide range of different spirits. Each new make style is given a unique name in order to differentiate them. Some are named after islands that can be found in the famous loch. Like Inchmurrin, for example. The Loch Lomond Distillery was established in Alexandria in 1964. There was an earlier distillery to hold the name but it was relatively short-lived and the two are unconnected. Over the plant’s relatively short life, it has undergone several upgrades and expansions. Production commenced on a solitary pair of straight-necked stills that look like a combination between pot and column still. In place of the traditional swan neck, there is a cylindrical column, inside of which, there is a series of plates that can be adjusted to alter the character of the spirit being produced. The number of stills doubled in 1990, before a set of traditional swan neck pot stills were added in 1998. Complicating matters further, a set of column stills were added in 1993, to allow for the production of grain whisky. This made the distillery entirely self-sufficient and able to create everything required for making blended Scotch in-house. Despite the distillery’s impressive flexibility and potential for creativity, however, it would be fair to say that its single malt didn’t always enjoy the greatest of reputations. Things have improved in recent years after first one, then a second, management buyout. A new core range, which showcases the spirit at 46% ABV, without chill-filtering or colour enhancement, paints the spirit in a much more positive light and celebrates some of the incredible flexibility that’s been built into the distillery. Inchmurrin is the name given to an unpeated malt, distilled in the straight-neck stills and this Dràm Mòr expression is a single cask, which has been finished in an oloroso sherry hogshead before bottling at 55.7%. https://lnkd.in/eTPrWa-P

What's in a name? If you poke around whisky cask investment sites for even a short amount of time, you will come across casks labelled with names like "Teithmill", "Blue Hill" or "Wardhead". A small amount of digging will lead you to the perplexing discovery that there are no distilleries under these names. So... where are these casks from? These are what are referred to as fillings or trade names. If you buy a cask of whisky which is labelled with a fillings name, there are restrictions on how you can label the liquid when it is bottled. Usually, the distillery cannot be mentioned by name even if you know for sure where it is from. In the case of Wardhead, it can only be bottled as a blended malt, not a single malt. There are other fillings which are similar in this regard. So, why do they exist? These brands essentially exist to protect the brands of the distilleries. Because their distillate is in someone else's care, they have no control over how it is matured, and eventually bottled. So should you consider buying one of these casks? Well the answer is, it depends. On the plus side, they are usually cheaper than a distillery branded cask. On the other hand, the reputation of the distillery is more difficult to leverage when labelling and selling the whisky. Some bottlers have worked out some slightly cheeky ways to get around this, but that is a story for another day! If you know, you know. Slainte!

Bimber unveils first age-statement whiskies London distillery Bimber has launched two limited edition eight-year-old single malts – the first age-statement whiskies in its portfolio. The two expressions, Harmony of Eight and eight-year-old Single Cask Edition, are said to mark a new chapter for Bimber, reflecting eight years of dedication to traditional whisky-making methods. The Harmony of Eight is made with single-farm barley that has been floor-malted at Warminster Maltings and distilled in directly-fired copper pot stills. Aged in a combination of ex-Bourbon and Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks, the expression displays a ‘vibrant and fruit-forward profile,’ reflecting its eight years of maturation. Limited to 1,090 bottles presented at 50% ABV, Harmony of Eight will be available on the Bimber website from today (5 December) with an RRP of £130 (US$165). The second single malt, eight-year-old Single Cask Edition, is limited to 268 bottles and offered at 56.8% ABV. The whisky matured in an American oak ex-Bourbon cask, selected by the 2024 Bimber Klub tasting panel. The single-cask release was made available on 4 December exclusively for distillery members for £160 (US$203). Speaking of the launch of the two expressions, Ewelina Chruszczyk, director of Bimber, said: “We are immensely proud to introduce our first age-statement whiskies – a reflection of eight years of passion, precision, and unwavering dedication to our craft. These releases are more than just a measure of time; they embody the journey we’ve taken, the challenges we’ve overcome, and the bright future that lies ahead for Bimber.” Earlier this year, the distillery debuted its Shoulder of Giants single cask range. Bimber Distillery in Park Royal, London, was established in 2015 by Dariusz Plazewski. After his arrest in February 2024, Plazewski relinquished his responsibilities for the company’s two distilleries, Bimber and Dunphail.

Three Societies on Building South Korean Whiskey Amidst Global Market Challenges: Crafting a Niche in a Competitive Landscape. Bryan Do 도정한, Three Societies Distillery, Oriental Brewery Co., #SouthKoreanWhiskey #ThreeSocieties #WhiskeyIndustry #MarketChallenges #CraftSpirits #GlobalMarket #WhiskeyInnovation #SpiritsBusiness #BrandBuilding #WhiskeyCulture

530 years in the making: The History of Whisky Let’s time travel today, eh? 🛞 1494 - The First Record: Documented evidence of whisky appears in Scotland's Exchequer Rolls, marking the distillation of the medicinal "aqua vitae" by Friar John Cor. 🛞 1608 - Oldest License: Bushmills, in Northern Ireland, secures its license, becoming the world's oldest licensed distillery. 🛞 1823 - Legal Distilling: The Excise Act legalises distilling in the UK for a fee, sparking a boom in legal and innovative distilling practices. 🛞 1831 - Distillation Innovation: Aeneas Coffey invents the Coffey still, revolutionising whisky production by enabling continuous distillation. 🛞 1920s - Prohibition's Unlikely Hero: During U.S. Prohibition (boo!), Scottish and Canadian whiskies gain popularity in underground bars, expanding their international market. 🛞 1963 - Single Malt Scotches Go Global: Glenfiddich starts to globally market single malts (traditionally used only in blends), and reshapes consumer tastes in the process. 🛞 1980s - Market Downturn and Revival: The whisky industry faces a downturn, leading to distillery closures, but setting the stage for a resurgence in craft and premium whisky. 🛞 2000s - The Age of Cask Experimentation: Distilleries begin experimenting with cask finishes, using barrels from wine, sherry, rum, and even beer to enhance complexity and flavour. 🛞 2010s - The Dawn of Japanese Whisky: Japanese whiskies, like Yamazaki, gain international acclaim, winning numerous global awards and expanding the whisky market. 🛞 Today - High Tech Meets High Tradition: From production and blockchain to track provenance, to Diageo's SmokeDNAi and exploration of exactly what occurs while whisky ages in its cask, it’s the most exciting time to be alive for whisky lovers. You can’t deny it, whisky’s history is as rich and layered as the drink itself. Sláinte! 🥃 P.S. Got anything interesting to add? 📸 Friar John Cor