Makers of Old Pulteney offer reassurance as low water levels halt whisky production
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The makers of Old Pulteney whisky have put a temporary stop to production because of low water levels caused by the prolonged spell of dry weather in the Wick area.
Inver House Distillers, the company that owns Pulteney Distillery, says it is doing everything possible to manage the situation "in the best interests of the local environment and community" and to minimise disruption.
The Pulteney lade draws water from nearby Loch Hempriggs, where levels are said to be "extremely low".
The distillery team is working with the environmental regulator, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
It is understood this is the first time production has been halted because of low water levels since the summer of 1976, although the company could not confirm that.
A spokeswoman for Inver House Distillers said: "Following reports from SEPA and observations from the distillery team, we decided to voluntarily pause production at Pulteney to allow water levels at Loch Hempriggs, where we source our water, to recover.
"We take our commitment to sustainability and the environment very seriously, and this proactive measure to protect and preserve our local water supply is the correct step for the distillery and our business. We will continue to work closely with SEPA and the surrounding community to manage this ongoing situation over the next few weeks.
"The Milton Burn is the only other offtake from the loch, and it’s now completely dry which is a very concerning situation since it is a spawning river for salmon. We need Loch Hempriggs to make our whisky so its preservation, and that of the surrounding environment, is our priority.
"We will be monitoring the Milton Burn and once it is fully restored, and we can see overall levels at Loch Hempriggs significantly rising, we will assess our situation and a date for restarting production. A lot will depend on levels of heavy rain in the next few weeks."
Asked about the implications for the multiple award-winning Old Pulteney malt, the spokeswoman added: "This will depend on when we are able to restart production. If it’s a few weeks there will be little impact – if it’s longer then naturally there will be more.
"However, we are confident that our business will manage this situation to minimise any disruption to operations at Pulteney.
"Our priority is the environment and making sure we do everything possible to protect and preserve our water supply.
"We can reassure people that we are doing everything we can to effectively manage this situation in the best interests of the local environment and community in Wick, and to minimise any disruption to our distillery and whisky in the long term. We are confident that by taking these steps we will be able to do that."
Wick has been the home of Old Pulteney since 1826. Whisky-making ceased in 1930 during the town's prohibition era and the distillery was mothballed for more than 20 years before production restarted.
