By Kristy Dorsey
Plans are in place for a new 32,670 sq ft facility that is set to displace Old Pulteney as Scotland’s most northerly mainland whisky distillery.
Planning permission was granted on Monday for a micro-distillery in John O’Groats that is expected to open in 2021. It will have the capacity to produce up to 60,000 litres per year, and will include a bonded warehouse and visitor centre.
The distillery and its product have yet to be named by Derek and Kerry Campbell, the husband-and-wife team behind the project. However, it will be the first Scotch whisky distillery in John O’Groats since 1837, offering a new visitor attraction to tourists travelling from Land’s End and along the North Coast 500.
“With a longstanding interest in the whisky industry, I began to truly appreciate quality Scotch whisky around 12 years ago and since then have developed a growing passion for Scotland’s national drink,” Ms Campbell said.
“After many conversations with my husband around the idea of building our own distillery and creating our own whisky, I’m delighted that we are now one step closer to making these plans a reality, having secured planning permission on our dream site at
John O’Groats.”
The project is being supported by £198,000 of funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). The total cost has yet to be confirmed as plans are at an early stage.
“Tourism and food and drink are two key industries in Caithness, and this project features both,” said Keith Muir, HIE’s head of business growth for Caithness and Sutherland.
“As well as producing a brand-new whisky, it will enhance the area’s wider visitor offering, notably around the North Coast 500.
“All of this encourages visitors to stay in the area longer, which benefits all local businesses and communities.”
The micro-distillery will be located on a disused plot adjacent to the main car park, and is expected to create six new jobs, including a master whisky maker and a visitor centre manager.
Originally from Caithness, Ms Campbell is a senior commercial and marketing manager with BT, and currently travels regularly from Caithness to London as part of her job.
She said she is looking forward to spending more time in the local area as the distillery plans come to fruition.
Mr Campbell was born and brought up in Thurso in a family of whisky enthusiasts. An executive director of the local Chamber of Commerce, he is currently finance and operations director with Denchi Power in Thurso.
Ms Campbell became a whisky convert after being introduced to whisky cocktails at a family barbecue.
She said she and her husband are both keen to encourage more visitors to the area to generate benefits for the wider community.
Andrew Mowat, manager of the Seaview Hotel in John O’Groats, said the new micro-distillery is a further example of the ongoing development in and around the village.
“It will complement the plans for the mill and brewery in the area,” he said. “It will also help increase dwell time in John O’Groats, attract more visitors, increase employment and utilise a currently undeveloped site.
“We are now getting closer to achieving our aim of making John O’Groats a world-class destination, with the community trusts and business community working hand in hand to realise this goal.”
Ms Campbell said the support from the local community has been “fantastic”.
Work on the distillery is due to begin this summer, with the aim of opening the visitor centre to the public in summer 2021.
“We believe the whisky we will produce will be unlike that from any other distillery, due to our coastal location in John O’Groats and the impact the local climate will have on our spirit as it matures,” she said.
“With traditional methods at the heart of our plans and an ambition to showcase whisky distilling in John O’Groats to the world, we are looking forward to opening the doors to our micro-distillery in due course.”
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