Whisky Focus - The Borders Distillery Opens For Visitors

The Borders Distillery Opens For Visitors


30th April 2018
The Borders Distillery opens its doors to visitors from May 1st.

The Borders Distillery open for visitors.

Following the return of whisky distilling to the Scottish Borders on the 6th March 2018 when new make spirit started to flow from the copper pot stills at The Borders Distillery in Hawick the distillery is now opening its doors to visitors from tomorrow, Tuesday 1st May.

This is a pivotal moment for the four founders of the Three Stills Company (TTSC), owners of The Borders Distillery but also for distilling in the Scottish Borders. as the whisky industry had ceased to exist in the region for almost 200 years, with the last-known operating distillery closing in Kelso in 1837.

In March 2013, Tim Carton, John Fordyce, Tony Roberts and George Tait, founded TTSC aiming to capitalise on the growth of Scotch Whisky sales, particularly in Malt Whisky, and the explosion in demand for gin made in Scotland. Having all worked at one time or the other at international distillers William Grant & Sons and having spent much of their professional lives in the drinks sector, they knew there was an opportunity to be had in building a new distillery and the opportunity lay in the Scottish Borders.

In November 2015 TTSC announced that it had reached its £10m fundraising target to be able to realise its vision for The Borders Distillery and work began a year later to redevelop two large sheds, dating from 1888, and a Tudor Cotswold building, which was constructed by Hawick Urban Electric Company in 1903 which were located on a 1.3-hectare site overlooking the River Teviot in Hawick.

The fact that the Borders region is the heartland for barley production in the UK, also played a part in the decision to construct the distillery in the Scottish Borders.

The distillery comprises a visitor centre and shop on the ground floor and entertaining/meeting space on the first floor: the open-plan Gallery, furnished with a bar and lounge seating, and the Teviot Room. The still hall is equipped with two wash stills, two spirit stills and a specially commissioned Carter Head still, all manufactured by Forsyths of Rothes. Operating at full capacity, The Borders Distillery can produce up to two million litres of pure alcohol.

The Borders Distillery Still House

It will be a minimum of three years in cask before the first Borders Distillery Single Malt can legally be made available for sale. TTSC, however, already has two brands in market: Clan Fraser, a blended Scotch whisky, and Lower East Side, a blended malt Scotch whisky.

Tim Carton commented: "It was five years ago that we (the founders) came together to create a business plan that would spearhead the resurrection of an industry that had been lost to this region for generations. This is a seminal moment for our business. In addition to being the first Scotch Whisky distillery to exist and operate in the Scottish Borders since 1837, we are now in a position to contribute to the growth of this fine industry. Scotch whisky is again experiencing exciting times with growth fuelled by new and more mature markets."

The Borders Distillery will open 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday and guided tours will be held on the hour, every hour, for a ticket price of £12.
 

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