One of Scotland’s newest whisky distilleries has appointed a general manager, head distiller and head brewer as its products hit the market for the first time.
In February, the £7.5m Uile-bheist Distillery and Brewery opened, powered by a unique sustainable energy system using water from the River Ness.
Now, with commissioning complete, its first two beers selling and its maiden single malt to be casked shortly, it has made a triple senior appointment to help oversee the next phase of growth.
New general manager Donnie Christian has 30 years of experience as a retail and visitor experience manager in Ireland and Scotland.
He returned to the Highlands following the pandemic after helping transform the retail operation at Dublin City University, including developing a Londis franchise.
New head distiller Andrew Shearer has a Masters in Distilling and Brewing and worked as a whisky quality analyst for Glen Turner, before becoming head distiller at Kinrara in the Cairngorms National Park.
He is overseeing the production of Uile-bheist’s first single malt, while Andrew Hodgson is spearheading the brewing side, following seven years of experience with Black Isle Brewery and Tempest Brewing Co.
The company’s first small-batch beers, Inverness Lager and Forest Dweller IPA, are now selling in the on-site tap room and at local hotels.
Production of its Dark Horse Highland stout is underway and tours of the facility have begun ahead of the summer season.
“We want to maximise its potential, but do that in a way which is sustainable - as this informs all of our processes,” said Christian.
“We’ve got a fantastic new team, with our two Andrews, who are adapting the distilling and brewing process around our sophisticated Kaspar Schulz technology.
“Ultimately, we want products we are proud of - and production is developing nicely.”
With the first Uile-bheist whisky casks soon to be filled - which are available for investors to purchase from £6,000 - Shearer is excited at the prospect of the maiden offering.
“Because we are using brewer’s yeast instead of traditional distiller’s yeast, we are getting a lot of character - we are leaving a lot more flavour in, perhaps at the cost of yield, but we are all about quality and that uniqueness of character,” he explained.
Uile-bheist’s new two-man production team will work flexibly across the distilling and brewing process.
“Coming here was an opportunity to work on what I feel is the most sophisticated brewhouse in Scotland of this size, especially in terms of the wider aspects such as the aesthetic of the place and what it is trying to achieve in terms of sustainability,” said Hodgson.
“The rewards so far have been great, in terms of the product, it is a very exciting time.”
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