HIE invests almost £2 million in distillery and visitor centre in Western Isles
Plans for a new distillery and visitor centre that will create 22 new jobs in the Western Isles have received a funding boost of almost £2 million from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
The proposed £12.5m distillery at Gramsdale on Benbecula includes low-carbon technologies in the design, build and distillation process.
The Uist Distilling Company is owned by South Uist businessman Angus A Macmillan and his son Angus E Macmillan. The company plans to produce single malt whisky, rum and gin "with a Hebridean flavour".
It is hoped that production will start in early 2022.
HIE has previously supported a feasibility study for the project and islanders had the opportunity to see the plans in more detail during community drop-in sessions last year. The development agency has committed up to £1.99m to the venture.
Angus A MacMillan said: “The new distillery aims to be a champion of all things Hebridean and Scottish and will provide a huge boost to tourism in the area.
“We want to produce whisky, rum and gin that will put Benbecula and the Hebrides firmly on the whisky tourist trail, while introducing the products we make to a national and international clientele.
“We are delighted with the support we have had from HIE. Having a low carbon footprint is key to our plans and we are working with industry experts to design a spirit production process which is powered by renewable energy sources.
"This will lower the carbon output of the distillery and ensure we are at the forefront of the whisky industry’s move away from the use of fossil fuels.”
Joanna Peteranna, head of enterprise support at HIE's Outer Hebrides team, said: “This innovative project will bring much-needed high-quality and secure jobs to Benbecula. The plans include green energy technology, which should future proof the business in terms of Scotland’s net-zero targets.
“It will add to the other distillery developments in the Outer Hebrides and will help establish a whisky trail through the islands which would be attractive for visitors.
"This is a fantastic project that, comparing levels of population, would create the equivalent of 10,000 jobs in Glasgow. This will be a significant boost to the Outer Hebrides tourism experience.”
The distillery will also feature sustainable organic production, using local ingredients such as peat, heather, seaweed and barley.