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Ahead of
going into production later this year
the Port of Leith distillery has
appointed Vaibhav Sood as Head of
Whisky.
The Port of
Leith, the first vertical whisky
distillery in the UK, has announced the
appointment of its Head of Whisky in
preparation for the activation of its
stills and the opening of its doors to
the public.
Vaibhav Sood, formerly the Operations
Manager at The Lakes Distillery, has
taken on this newly established role,
signifying a significant milestone for
the £13 million nine-storey distillery.
Scheduled to launch later this year in
Leith's historic port, the distillery
will offer tours, tastings, and a
mezzanine bar on the top floor,
providing what should be rather
breathtaking panoramic views of Leith
and Edinburgh.
In addition to
its visitor experiences, the Port of
Leith Distillery aims to produce up to
one million bottles of premium whisky
annually. Achieving this goal will
involve utilising locally grown barley,
implementing extensive research on yeast
and fermentation, and procuring casks
from esteemed producers in Spain,
Portugal, and the USA.
Initial estimates indicate that the
distillery is expected to attract 25,000
visitors during its inaugural year, with
projections soaring to 160,000 annual
visitors by 2025.
Commenting on his appointment, Vaibhav
said: "Joining the iconic Scotch whisky
industry was always a dream of mine, and
immersing myself in a distillation
process as unique as Port of Leith is
already proving to be an incredible
experience.
"Alongside getting to work with such a
dedicated, passionate and forward
thinking team, I’m honoured to be
leading in all aspects of whisky making
as we work towards bringing our new
world class single malt to people across
the globe."
The distillery's establishment in the
upcoming year will not only include
Vaibhav's role but will also create 50
long-term local jobs.
Paddy Fletcher, Co-Founder of Port of
Leith Distillery, said: "Vaibhav’s
appointment is a huge step forward for
us as we look towards starting
production in the next couple of months.
"Already, he has been instrumental in
streamlining elements of our production
process, spearheading our wood
management program and recruiting for
our Whisky Operations team and we look
forward to his input in creating our
exceptional new wave whisky."
Port of Leith Distillery is the latest
long term investment in Leith by
co-owners and lifelong friends Ian
Stirling and Paddy Fletcher, following
the opening of the new Lind & Lime Gin
Distillery in May 2022, a brand they
launched in 2018 from a tiny industrial
unit.
The eco-conscious gin distillery,
powered entirely by green electricity,
has already attracted over 6,000
visitors who have enjoyed its tasting,
bottling, and cocktail making tours.
This year, the distillery anticipates a
significant increase in visitor numbers,
with projections reaching up to 15,000
visitors annually.
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