Distillery is towering symbol of Scotland's new whisky ways

But the 40m tall Port of Leith Distillery, a few yards from the Royal Yacht Britannia, is quickly becoming a towering symbol of a new wave of innovation sweeping through the Scotch whisky sector.

Due to open later this year, Scotland’s first vertical distillery rises nine storeys high and will combine whisky production – grain milling and mashing upstairs, with fermentation and distillation at the bottom – along with rooftop bar, views over the Forth, and shop.

A first in terms of whisky distillery design, it is also set to disrupt the sector further: for despite having had no experience in whisky production, the whisky-loving friends behind the £13.5m distillery are set to turn elements of the age-old traditional method of distilling the water of life, on its head.

They are among an ever-growing number of new entries to a packed whisky scene who are embracing new methods, revisiting old ones and disrupting traditions – and the way distilleries look - in an effort to capture a new generation of drinkers and tap into the massive international demand for Scotch.

Read More: Islay whisky tops new ranking of best rated spirits | HeraldScotland

In the past six years alone, 20 new distilleries have opened – with more on the horizon.

Now with 141 distilleries across the country and whisky exports growing by nearly 20% in 2021 – 53 bottles of Scotch Whisky are shipped from Scotland to around 180 markets around the world each second, totalling over 1.6bn every year -and emerging markets in India, China, South America and Africa, the sector is enjoying a major boom.

While innovation can be found across Scotland’s whisky landscape as distilleries grapple with how to become more sustainable, new entrants to the sector are devising fresh takes on the drink itself.

At Port of Leith, that has involved tinkering not just with how a distillery might look, but with one of the spirit’s key ingredients – yeast.

Having experimented with distilling whisky in their gardens, the founding pair Ian Stirling and Paddy Fletcher embarked on three years of research with Heriot-Watt University, trying out 24 different yeasts not typically used in whisky production.

“We looked at yeast that’s usually used for beer, wine, sake or rum,”  said co-founder Ian Stirling.. “We were blown away by the results, by changing the yeast, using the same grain and same fermentation the spectrum of change is incredible.”

Read More: Scientists bid to unlock the darkest secret of whisky’s unique taste

Using different kinds of yeast, he adds, is a throwback to how whisky was once produced, with distilleries working hand in hand with local breweries, and making use of more local products – rather than the modern approach most distilleries take of buying yeast from a handful of major producers.

“It goes back to the way that things were done previously, when there was a more symbiotic relationship with the local brewery,” he adds.

A key feature of Port of Leith Distillery will be the production of ‘vintage’ style whiskies, with each year’s product having a slightly different twist – similar to wine – as the distillers tweak their yeast ingredient.

He adds: “Existing whisky distilleries goal is to consistently produce the same product for drinkers and it’s not so easy to change production methods.

“Whereas we have a completely blank slate and the opportunity to experiment in a way that existing players probably can’t do.

“It’s the advantage of being new.”

Even on Islay, the Hebridean home of heavily peated malt whiskies soaked in tradition, changes are afoot.

Bruichladdich, a distillery revived in 2016 after having been shut for two decades, revealed last week that it has turned to rye – more typically used in American whiskey and bourbon - as a key ingredient for one of their new releases.

The Regeneration Project uses locally grown Islay rye – a first for the distillery and for Islay whisky production. The crop is credited with being better for soil health, and reduces the need for artificial pesticides and fertilisers.

Also on Islay, work is underway to construct the island’s smallest distillery, ili, which is cylindrical land shape and blends into the landscape of Gearach Farm near Port Charlotte.

With a target capacity of 200,000 litres per year, it has ambitions to be highly sustainable and carbon-neutral, with a hydrogen plant, solar panels, battery storage and wind turbine.

The modern design of the single storey building is said to be a deliberate attempt to distance itself from the traditional white-walled distillery buildings, inspired by lighthouses, duns and brochs.

The brainchild of islanders Scott McLellan and Bertram Nesselrode, the actual whisky to be produced is so far under wraps. “The island has a rich heritage of whisky production, and ili would mark a milestone in this heritage – respecting Islay’s legacy while representing something innovative and contemporary,” Nesselrode has said.

Some innovation is even less visible. In an industrial estate warehouse in Sighthill, Young Spirits, a small batch craft whisky and rum bottling operation, has tripled revenue by 300% in three years and grown from 2 to 42 employees.

Launched in June 2019 by Co-Founders John Ferguson and Alex Harrison, who have backgrounds in the operations and drinks industries respectively, it is responding to demand from investors seeking to have investment casks bottled, and distilleries looking for bespoke bottles with luxury labels.

According to Operations Director Barbara Scott, it is not unusual for the business to be handling bottles valued at up to £50,000.

The business is also taking whiskies from distilleries across Scotland and creating their own blended whiskies.

“We are offering a specialist service,” she says. “We can work with a cask where the bottles may end up retailing for around £50,000 – you can’t just run that through a machine, it has to be completely hand operated.

“And we will purchase casks ourselves. We are laying down casks which we will then do something unique and different with while still respecting the traditional whisky process – perhaps finishing it in wine or rum casks for a period of time

“We are seeing a huge amount of change, but consumers still want luxury goods for special occasions.”