Your chance to own a piece of 200-year-old Caithness mill – and its first whisky
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People are being given the opportunity to get involved in the restoration of a historic grain mill in Castletown.
The mill at Castletown, the oldest part of which dates back to 1818, is currently being conserved and converted into a whisky distillery and visitor centre by Dunnet Bay Distillers.
Martin and Claire Murray who own the spirits business on the north coast are hoping that the £4 million transformation will help the mill become a significant Caithness landmark once again.
Following the restoration of the mill, they will enter the craft whisky market, producing a new Caithness single malt whisky called Stannergill Whisky, named after the burn which fed the mill.
With building work now well under way at the site, Dunnet Bay Distillers are offering two unique opportunities for people to become part of the story of Castletown Mill.
The “Sponsor a Tile” initiative will help Dunnet Bay Distillers repair the roof at Castletown Mill. Welsh slate tiles for the extension to the mill, which was added in 1888, are being sold off for £40 a piece to help towards the costs of the work.
In return, investors will receive a commemorative Caithness flagstone coaster designed in conjunction with Norse Stone with a certificate of sponsorship. Plus, when the roof has been restored, the location of the individual tile will be shared so it can be found when people visit the mill.
Another, albeit more expensive, way to invest in the new distillery is to join the 1818 Society and become one of the first to get a bottle of the whisky to be produced at the Castletown Mill.
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A total of 1818 bottles of Stannergill Whisky’s first release, aged five years, are available to invest in for £750. The bottle will feature a specially designed stonescape label by local artist, Lisa Poulsen. This rare, exclusive and collectible edition will also bear the recipient's personal 1818 Society membership number.
Investors will also receive other unique benefits, such as a Lindsey Gallacher Caithness flagstone tie pin or ladies’ brooch, along with tours of the mill for them and a chosen guest, each and every year for five years.
Mr Murray said: “It is an absolute honour to have been entrusted with the opportunity to conserve and revitalise Castletown Mill, a historic building anchored in the Caithness landscape.
“As the new custodians of the mill, we’re looking forward to regenerating and breathing new life into the building. Our aim is to sensitively restore the mill to become the brand new home for our expansion into the whisky market and, as part of this, to tell its story and add to its wonderful history.
“We hope to create a destination distillery to educate visitors on the history of the mill and celebrate the heritage of the site, re-establishing the mill as a proud Caithness landmark once again. It’s exciting to have reached the building phase of the project and to launch these two unique opportunities for people to join us on our journey.”
