An Edinburgh business have installed stills to become the UK's first ever vertical distillery.
The Port of Leith Distillery have marked a historical moment in a new wave of whisky making in the UK's first ever which is due to open, this summer. The businesses in Leith will offer tours, tastings as well as a top floor mezzanine bar with spectacular, panoramic views of Edinburgh.
Installation of the two hand-crafted copper stills were delivered to Leith from the Speyside Copper Works in Elgin and is the latest milestone for the £12 million, nine-storey distillery.
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The stills are huge in size with the largest being able to hold 7,000 litres of wash and the other 5,000 litres of spirit.
The distillery in Leith is due to be the biggest tourist attraction to be built in the area for decades and is projected to have 25,000 visitors in its first year, increasing to 160,000 by 2025 and is due to create 50 long term jobs.
Ian Stirling, Co-Founder of Port of Leith Distillery, said: “For much of the 19th and 20th century, Leith was the unofficial capital of Scotch Whisky - making it the perfect place to build a new industrial landmark like the Port of Leith Distillery; an honest and modern piece of architecture that reflects our new and innovative approach to production.
“Installing our stills brings us one step closer to our summer distillery opening and welcoming tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world to come and experience a UK first.”
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Port of Leith Distillery is the latest long term investment in Leith by Co-Owners and lifelong friends Ian Stirling and Paddy Fletcher, following the opening of the new Lind & Lime Gin Distillery in May 2022, a brand they launched in 2018 from a tiny industrial unit. The distillery is due to open this summer.
Port of Leith Distillery broke records in June 2022 after crowdfunding its target of £2 million in 3 hours through a Seedrs campaign - increasing the total raised to £13m across the duration of the project.
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