“Thee, Ferintosh! O sadly lost! Scotland lament frae coast to coast!” So said Robert Burns when he discovered that the Ferintosh Distillery in Dingwall had closed.
As one of the oldest recorded distilleries in Scotland it is fair to say its loss in 1784 was quite probably lamented, though whether word reached from coast to coast in a world without social media remains somewhat debatable.
Fast forward to 1926 and with the closure of Ben Wyvis and Glanskiach in nearby Evanton, distilling disappeared from Dingwall completely.
Given the town’s rich heritage in the fine art of whisky production, it is no surprise that distillation has returned amid the current clamour for “craft” whisky.
However, the most interesting aspect of GlenWyvis Distillery, which officially opens today, is the fact that it is owned by more than 3,000 people who have invested a minimum of £250.
As BrewDog and many others have proven in the craft beer world, turning to consumers for investment can prove to be a successful method for raising funds without raising debt.
There are certainly challenges in launching a product which won’t begin to generate income for at least three years, and distributing it internationally in a crowded market hampered by the sheer scale of competition from global players like Diageo.
But founder John McKenzie’s plan is to create a point of interest, which not only sends whisky out into the world, but encourages tourists to the area, while providing the community with literal ownership of the distillery.
By relying on the passion of whisky fans, Mr McKenzie has assembled a team of “members” who share his vision of creating something more than just another distillery, and for that he deserves huge credit.
There is a sincerity to the project and it is one which will hopefully bear fruit for not only its founders, but its 3,000 investors, and the wider Dingwall community.
Burns would no doubt approve.
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