Castletown whisky distillery could be open in under two years' time
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A new £4 million whisky distillery on the outskirts of Castletown could be open in under two years time, according to the Caithness businessman behind the project.
Martin Murray hopes the distillery at the old mill – opposite the beach – will be operational by August 2024. That would be 10 years after he and his wife Claire started Dunnet Bay Distillers, the company which makes award-winning gin and vodka.
Mr Murray, speaking to the John O'Groat Journal at the site this week, explained that planning permission has been approved and a building warrant is expected to be decided at the end of the month.
If granted, he hopes tenders would go out in January next year with a contractor appointed by the spring of 2023. The whisky would be ready for sale by 2029/30. It is expected the development could create 12 jobs.
Mr Murray explained the original mill was built in 1818 with an extension added later. He said the buildings are structurally sound and plans to retain as many of the features as possible in the distillery, including flagstones, two French mill stones as well as some of the original slates and other items. Mr Murray also intends to restore the mill wheel and lade.
The premises, which have not been used for well over 50 years, will house not only two stills for the whisky distillery but also a café, kitchen and a visitor centre which will feature the history of the mill and an event space which will accommodate a variety of functions. The premises will also incorporate a shop which will feature the best of Caithness products. Lighting will be installed to illuminate the outer part of the three-storey mill.
"The area where the stills will be will look out over the beach and Castlehill where the flagstone industry started," he said.
Mr Murray pointed out that the barley for the whisky will be grown locally within a five to 10-mile radius of the mill and is keen to work with as many local suppliers and contractors as possible. He would also like to involve schools in helping to design some of the elements of the building and outside premises.
Dunnet Bay Distillers bought the old mill in 2021 and have had to contend with a Covid pandemic since then as well as a cost-of-living crisis, rising prices, the impact of Brexit and the war in Ukraine. And before they could start work on the mill they had to clear out 37 tons of pigeon droppings.
"We had to get a specialist to remove it and get it disposed of at a special site so we could get access to the building," he said.
A new warehouse has been built alongside the mill and will be used as a bottling store for the gin and vodka produced at Dunnet as well as the whisky from Castletown.
"We are just waiting for the electricity and sewer connection there," he said. Mr Murray hopes the warehouse will be in use by next year.
The company's gin and vodka is sold all over the UK and in around 20 countries.
