The Cabrach Distillery, on the edge of Speyside, has received the funding from Social Investment Scotland (SIS), and is gearing up to open in late summer. The remote community was once home to a thriving illicit whisky trade, a legacy which the distillery is celebrating with the production of a new Single Malt Scotch Whisky and dedicated heritage centre. The funding, which comprises a loan and a grant, will support the distillery with setting up for the bottling of its inaugural whisky proposition The Feering, which is a Speyside blended malt Scotch whisky derived from casks.
The Cabrach Trust, a registered charity, was set up in response to the need to preserve the cultural heritage of The Cabrach and safeguard its remote community. It was founded by Grant Gordon OBE, a philanthropist and member of the William Grant family of distillers. The support comes as the area of Cabrach has experienced significant loss and depopulation over the last century.
At the turn of the 20th century, the population was around 1,000 people but today it is under 100 with the Trust working to safeguard the community. Creating a dozen local jobs, it is hoped the new distillery will attract visitors from near and far, generating income to be reinvested into regeneration plans. As well as the distillery, the Trust also runs the Cabrach Discovery Trail and has recently launched a new Cabrach Tweed.
Meanwhile The Old Smiddy – a restored farm bothy at the heart of Inverharroch Farm – hosts rural sk.
