Gin-maker by Loch Ness in battle to claim title of smallest distillery in Scotland
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A battle over who has the smallest distillery in Scotland has begun.
For the man who has built Scotland’s newest – and said to be smallest – gin maker right next to Loch Ness is demanding the title in an area more associated with monster claims.
Currently Edradour in Perthshire says on its website that it is "the smallest traditional distillery in Scotland and arguably the most unique".
But Dan Campbell (34), who has built his gin distillery in his late mother’s old shop at the Loch Ness Experience – where she sold Nessie souvenirs and other goods for years – says his is "much smaller" and is writing to Edradour to claim the title.
"I have been to Edradour and checked its size on Google Maps and we are much, much smaller," he said.
Mr Campbell says that at 85 square feet his Drumnadrochit distillery will become Scotland’s smallest, beating Edradour, which does not make gin but is said to produce only 12 casks of whisky a week.
It did not respond to an email request over its size.
Mr Campbell’s Great Glen Distillery will draw from a borehole water that feeds into the world famous loch and the first 100 bottles will have a special Nessie theme.
The bottles will be sunk to the bottom of Loch Ness and then hauled back up with a certificate to be signed by Mr Campbell, distiller Adam Dwyer and world-renowed Nessie expert, naturalist Adrian Shine, the leader of the Loch Ness and Morar Project who designed the millennial refurbishment to the Loch Ness Exhibition.
Mr Campbell’s family runs 21 cafés under the Cobbs Group banner and pre-pandemic, he supplied hotels and other outlets with coffee and tea through his Red Box Coffee label.
"But when lockdown started the business dried up," he said. "We had to either let go or furlough the five staff. It was a terrible time.
"So I thought what could I do? I am not the sort to sit around twiddling my thumbs. So I came up with the idea of building a distillery," said Mr Campbell, of Drumnadrochit.
"This gin will be something that is authentic and probably the first new thing that has been produced in the area that is not a model or an image of Nessie!"
Mr Campbell’s mother Jacqueline – known as Jackie – sadly died in February at the age of 58 but her legacy will live on, not only in the location of the distillery but also in the fact that the 200 litre still is named Jacqueline in her honour.
"It is like she is back in her old shop again," Mr Campbell said.
"When she took unwell it was unlikely that the shop would reopen again.
"Sadly I knew she was never going back in there again. But when we approached the landlords they were delighted and said they would love us to open a distillery.
"We just started ripping the old shop out. Four months later we had created a distillery and we hope to be selling our first gin at the end of May."
Mr Campbell has teamed up with chef Mr Dwyer to produce the gin with advice from the Forgan Distillery in Lancashire.
"We took 85 attempts to get the right blend," Mr Campbell admitted. "They all tasted great to me but Adam, being a chef, is a real perfectionist."
They ended up producing a gin that has local heather, frankincense – only one other UK distillery uses the resin – angelica root and sorrel with the result, Mr Campbell said, being a floral and earthy tasting gin.
Mr Campbell and Mr Dwyer hope to initially produce 250 bottles-a-week, scaling up to 500.
Great Glen will be available at selected shops and online at www.greatglendistillery.co.uk
Related story: Tributes paid to founder of company based near Loch Ness
