Sutherland-based distillers, bottlers and blenders Thompson Brothers have launched a £1.8 million crowdfunding campaign to help finance the construction of Struie, a ‘cutting-edge’ sustainable distillery near their current Dornoch Distillery site.
The project aims to ‘redefine the future of whisky production’ while boosting the local economy and advancing sustainable industry practices.
It is envisaged that Struie will produce up to 20 times more Dornoch Single Malt Whisky than the current operation, which has seen continued oversubscription with every release.
Every aspect of production except malting will be handled on-site, from liquid creation to blending, bottling, labelling, and shipping. The new distillery will also create 10 new jobs in the local area.
Sustainability is at the heart of the Struie plan, with patent-pending technology, including a unique still and condenser design, which has been engineered and designed to run from on-site generated renewable energy sources, and zero carbon emissions.
This innovation should make Struie one of the most sustainable distilleries globally and at the forefront of a more sustainable future for Scotland’s whisky industry.
Since 2016, Phil and Simon Thompson have grown Thompson Brothers into a successful independent whisky business, with a significant output of single malt whisky casks, independent bottlings, and gin.
“Our vision is to create a distillery that not only produces exceptional spirits but also sets a new standard for environmental responsibility in the industry,” said Phil Thompson. “Since my brother and I first dreamt of a new distillery, everything we’ve done has been building towards that goal.
“This crowdfunding campaign is about financing the build through the support of the wonderful whisky community that will help us to grow and share more Sutherland spirits with the world, all whilst bringing more long-term non-seasonal employment to the region we call home.”
Simon Thompson added: “We’re building Struie Distillery with a blend of past, present and future thinking. The goals we’ve put in place are about making great whisky right away, utilising many old-style production principles that we already run at Dornoch Distillery, but also building something unique and sustainable that will raise the bar globally for what distillers can do to protect the environment for the future.
“We want Struie whisky to be as delicious as it is sustainable.”
The new distillery, designed by Leask Architects, is also expected to significantly boost the local economy, creating new jobs and engaging the estimated 12,000 annual visitors to the region that’s home of the distillery, Dornoch Castle hotel and its world-famous whisky bar, and The Royal Dornoch Golf Club Championship Course, rated one of the best golf courses in the world.
The crowdfunding campaign aims to raise £1.8m as part of an overall raise of £5m into Thompson Independent Traders Limited, the group that consists of Dornoch Castle Hotel, Dornoch Distillery Company Limited, Thompson Bros Independent bottling, blending as well as the new distillery development, Struie Distillery.
The new distillery will have capacity to produce 250,000 litres of alcohol from on-site renewables, with a 400,000 maximum capacity. The project will create 10 jobs.
