Benbecula Distillery announces limited edition cask release of its inaugural single malt spirit

The opening of Scotland’s newest independent whisky distillery is being celebrated with a limited-edition release of its inaugural single malt spirit.

Benbecula Distillery, in the Outer Hebrides, started production last month, using a revived 130-year-old recipe and a unique malting technique.

Interest from whisky enthusiasts is expected to be intense when the sale of its first 150 filled casks goes live on Monday August 5.

Founder and owner, Angus MacMillan, said: “Since we announced the start of production, we’ve had calls and emails from around the world inquiring about buying our whisky, as well as people arriving at the distillery to ask about it.

“We’re delighted that a dram which we believe truly encapsulates the unique essence of our island is causing so much interest and helping put Benbecula firmly on the whisky map of Scotland.”

Local businessman Angus developed the multi-million pound distillery at Gramsdale at the northern end of Benbecula, which lies between the Hebridean islands of North and South Uist, off Scotland’s west coast.

The new single malt has been created by renowned master distiller Brendan McCarron, who has revived a recipe last used by distilleries such as Glen Ord and Highland Park in the 19th century. The malting technique involves kilning over fires laid with peat and foraged heather.

Bere barley, grown on Angus’ croft, fertilised with seaweed from the shoreline, is among the key ingredients of the spirit and adds both minerality and salinity

According to Mr McCarron, the spirit will be “classically maritime in style; smoky on the nose, with salty and sweetly peated notes.” This will be achieved using light to medium peated malted barley, “so that the smoke does not dominate and allows fruity and floral notes to shine through.”

First-fill 250-litre Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks are being used in the maturation of the inaugural Benbecula single malt spirit. Potential buyers can register their interest via the distillery’s website Benbecula Distillery

Benbecula Distillery was established in a redeveloped salmon farming processing plant previously owned by Angus. A glass-walled extension in the form of a lighthouse, housing a copper pot still, is now a landmark on the wild, rolling landscape of an island with a long and proud maritime heritage.

Ten new jobs for local people have already been created at the distillery and the workforce is expected to continue to grow to around 25. It is also helping support a total of 75 direct and indirect roles.

Around 350,000 litres of whisky will be produced at the distillery annually, with bourbon and sherry casks being used in the maturation. Benbecula Gin will also be produced there, and the company’s own rum will be available from the distillery.

The distillery’s design and distilling process incorporate pioneering and innovative low-carbon technologies, where the heat recovery systems are the first in the Scotch whisky industry.