The Scottish Highlands Welcome a New Whisky Distillery

Wednesday, 15 July 2026 at 12:45

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Scotland has officially welcomed a new whisky distillery. Dunnet Bay Distillers has fired up the stills at Stannergill Distillery in Caithness. After nearly two years of construction and restoration, the first spirit flowed from the stills this week.

The new distillery is housed in Castletown Mill, a building of around 200 years old in the north of the Scottish Highlands. That makes Stannergill one of the northernmost whisky distilleries on the Scottish mainland.

Stannergill Distillery crafts single malt whisky in Caithness

Before this week’s first spirit destined for whisky was drawn, production actually began on 30 June. Stannergill Distillery started mashing that day, and the stills were fired up as well.

The distillery’s founders, Claire and Martin Murray, are incredibly proud of this moment. The road to that first spirit wasn’t without setbacks, but the couple say it’s leading to a whisky with a clear, distinctive style.

'Everything here has been carefully designed, from fermentation through distillation, to produce a spirit that truly reflects this landscape while setting a new benchmark for energy efficiency in our industry.'

- Martin Murray

The distillery is focused on producing Scotch single malt whisky.

New Scottish whisky distillery not quite finished yet

Energy efficiency was a major priority in the design of Stannergill Distillery. For example, the distillery uses an electric boiler to generate steam, which means there are no direct on-site emissions from that process.

For a new operation, the capacity is anything but small. Stannergill is expected to produce around 240,000 liters of alcohol annually. Two copper pot stills handle the distillation: the 5,000-liter wash still is named Anna, and the 3,500-liter spirit still is called Isla. Both are named after the daughters of founders Claire and Martin Murray.

The site isn’t fully complete yet. Work is still underway on a dedicated warehouse for whisky maturation.

Visitor center, tours, and restaurant at Stannergill

Stannergill aims to be more than a production site—it’s set to become a new destination for whisky tourists. A visitor center is planned, offering tours and tastings for enthusiasts.

The site is also home to The Grain Store Restaurant. The restaurant opened back in March 2026 and is a key part of the visitor experience.

Dunnet Bay Distillers was founded in 2014 by Claire and Martin Murray. The company is known for Rock Rose Gin, Holy Grass Vodka, Mapmaker’s Rum, and Myxd Cocktails. Since 2022, it has also released whisky under the Castletown Mill and Stannergill Whisky names.

With the start of in-house production, a new chapter begins. It will be a few more years before we can taste the first whisky, but it’s well on its way.

FAQ

Where is Stannergill Distillery located?
Stannergill Distillery is in Caithness, in the far north of the Scottish Highlands.
What whisky does Stannergill Distillery make?
The distillery focuses on producing Scotch single malt whisky.
When will the first Stannergill single malt be released?
The first house whisky can be sold as Scotch only after a minimum of three years of maturation.