CONSTRUCTION DIVISION
We have researched a new frontier in Scotch Whisky production, assembledthe finest raw materials and casks from across the globe, and constructed a remarkable new distillery in Scotland’s capital city.
Edinburgh has an incredibly rich whisky heritage, and the Port of Leith was the epicentre of the industry.
The site for our distillery is located right on the edge of the harbour, next to The Royal Yacht Britannia and The Ocean Terminal centre.
The 360 image on the left shows the spectacular view we'll have from our top floor bar, providing a unique panorama across Leith, Edinburgh and Fife. Click top right of the image to enlarge.
For centuries, Leith was Scotland’s gateway to the world. The streets here were lined with bonded warehouses where much of Scotland’s whisky was matured, blended and bottled. We’re incredibly proud to be part of resurgence of distilling in this historic centre.
The Building
We never set out to build a vertical distillery. We did however want to build a modern landmark that would reflect what we want to be as a company: restless, experimental and open.
We aim to eventually produce 400,000lpa (litres pure alcohol) per year as well as welcoming tens of thousands of visitors through the door with a shop and bar. In addition to this, we have included a lab space for analysis and experimentation with students from Heriot Watt, offices and facilities for our staff, and a number of flexible spaces that can be used for exhibitions and public events.
At the core of the building is a vertical production process, with grain milling and mashing at the top, leading down through fermentation to distillation at the bottom. Around that, we've created a unique experience for our visitors, allowing them to get as close to the process as possible.
All of this is encased in a beautiful, bold and modern building sitting on Leith's waterfront - a beacon for cruise ships entering the port and an iconic new structure for Edinburgh.
The Construction
No one has ever built a vertical distillery quite like this.
To further complicate matters, we built our distillery right next to a harbour wall - a very significant piece of engineering that gave our engineers a very significant headache.
It took many years to design our building and get to site in 2020. COVID 19 then played its part in delaying the construction process. Nevertheless, it was with a huge sigh of relief that we completed the substructure and foundations at the beginning of 2021. This was undoubtably the most complex and risky part of our building.
Then we could witness the awesome site of the steel structure rising out of the ground. As we built up, we placed many of the key bits of production equipment into the structure, including the mashtun and washbacks. We’ll be able to remove parts of these in the future if we need to fix them.
The building finally opened to the public in October 2023, but it wasn’t until January 2024 that we were able to commence production.
What next?
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AGRICULTURE DIVISION
We’re working with a single farm just outside of Edinburgh to source all of the grain for our whisky. Our first harvest is waiting for us.
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MATURATION DIVISION
With all the care and attention that we’ve paid to our barley and our spirit, it won’t surprise you to learn that we’ve also thought very hard about the casks we will use.
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QUALITY CONTROL DIVSION
Would you like to taste the newmake we produced from our years of research, and follow it on its journey to becoming our Port of Leith Single Malt? Well, then you’d better join The Quality Control Division.
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PERSONNEL DIVISION
The very best thing about our company is the team that makes it happen. Meet the people behind the spirit.
