UK: Scotland’s first new grain distillery in 10 years gets green light to start construction

Developers of a new £46 mln grain distillery in the Borders which will source thousands of local wheat and barley annually have welcomed the green light to start construction, FarmingUK reported on November 12.

Plans to create Scotland’s first grain distillery in 10 years have taken a significant step forward after it was approved by planners earlier this week.

The St. Boswells Distillery, based at Charlesfield Industrial Estate in the Scottish Borders, will also become Scotland’s lowest carbon grain distillery.

It will produce 20 million litres of pure alcohol a year to meet the growing demand for grain whisky for use in Scotch Whisky blending and a Scottish grain neutral spirit for gin and vodka.

The site will source local cereals from growers in the surrounding Tweed Valley and process them sustainably with renewable energy into the spirit.

The cereals, once spent, will be passed to the adjacent anaerobic digestion plant, where they will be converted into methane, with the remaining material being used as soil conditioner for the crops.

Jack Distillers, the firm behind the facility, said the development will create about 20 permanent jobs and 200 during construction.

The 18 month construction period is scheduled to begin in 2022, and spirit will be produced in 2024.

Trevor Jackson, founder & CEO of Jackson Distillers, welcomed the planners’ decision: “This is another significant step forward in the process to create the Scottish Borders’ first major grain distillery.

“We have had great support for our proposals from local stakeholders across the region and have worked closely with Scottish Borders Council to ensure we created plans that fit into the landscape.

"We are grateful to everyone who has helped us to get to this stage and will continue to work with local stakeholders as we now progress with construction.”

11 November, 2021