New Uilebheist Distillery at Glen Mhor Hotel in Inverness releases first 100 numbered casks of rare whisky to be produced in first year
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The first distillery to be built in the city of Inverness for 130 years is offering the public the opportunity to own a rare cask of whisky produced in its first year of operating.
Uilebheist Distillery at the Glen Mhor Hotel has released 100 numbered casks as part of its programme.
Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks are available to purchase with a minimum maturation period of ten years, with cask owners having the opportunity to visit and sample their cask during its maturation.
Just 200 to 250 casks will be produced each year, making the whisky one of the rarest in the country.
Uilebheist is named after the Gaelic word for monster.
The new £6 million whisky distillery and brewery will be sustainably powered by the water from the nearby River Ness and create around 40 jobs in the Highland capital.
Much of the power used by the distillery and brewery will be generated by its own specially-built on-site energy centre with any additional power going back into the grid, making it one of the most sustainable producers in Scotland and saving an estimated 250 tonnes of carbon each year.
Master distiller, Bruce Smith said interest in the casks is already astounding.
"Our cask programme is an opportunity for whisky lovers to join us at the very beginning of our whisky journey with spirit produced in the heart of Inverness, right on the banks of the river," he said.
"We see this as an opportunity for people from near and far to own a piece of local whisky history, with Uilebheist being the first distillery to operate in the region of Inverness for 40 years, and the first to be built in the city for 130 years."
"Uilebheist will be a Highland Single Malt like no other, because of our fresh and innovative approach to whisky making that leaves almost no carbon footprint, whilst maintaining the traditional principles that have been used in Scotland for hundreds of years.
"The wash will be fermented with our own brewer’s ale yeast for a unique character, and distilled in bespoke pot stills from Kasper Schultz in Germany.
"They’re producing a taller still, designed to give us unprecedented control over our new make spirit.
Being a small batch craft distiller, every step of the process will be meticulously managed to ensure every drop of Uilebheist Single Malt is worth the wait.
"The interest at this early stage in our casks has been astounding and with only 100 casks available we anticipate high demand."
The distillery is on track to be one of the lowest carbon distilleries in the country.
On-site heat pumps in the adjoining sustainability centre which are powered by the water from the River Ness will provide heating and hot water which is also distributed throughout the Glen Mhor Hotel complex.
The process will be the first of its kind in Scotland and further development stages are planned which will see significant expansions to the site.
Go to Uilebheist for more information.
