A NEW MALT DISTILLERY FOR THE ISLE OF SKYE 

A new malt distillery for the Isle of Skye is announced today, Wednesday 19^th February 2014. 

The new distillery – only the second on the famous Hebridean island – will be created within a listed early nineteenth century farm steading at Torabhaig on Skye’s southeast coast. 

The Torabhaig Distillery will cost more than £5 million and is likely to employ around eight people. 

Torabhaig Distillery Limited is a subsidiary of Mossburn Distillers Ltd. Outlining the company’s investment plans Neil Mathieson, Chief Executive Officer of Mossburn Distillers Ltd said: “Torabhaig is our first entry into the Scotch Whisky category and a very important starting point. 

“Skye is renowned all over the world for its natural beauty and cultural heritage and we believe that Torabhaig will be a valuable contribution both to whisky distilling on Skye and to the island’s continuing attraction to international visitors. 

“We have a wonderful property in a beautiful setting looking over the Sound of Sleat to Knoydart. It’s a perfect location for a small, traditional distillery and we look forward to working with the local community to bring our plans to life.”  

The Torabhaig site formed part of the late Sir Iain Noble’s lands of Fearann Eilean Iarmain. Sir Iain’s widow, Lucilla Noble has been invited to join the Board of Torabhaig Distillery Limited.    

She commented: “Iain long ago recognised the great potential of the Torabhaig steading as the perfect site for a distillery on the Sleat peninsula and worked hard towards that objective. I am very pleased that this ambitious redevelopment is about to be started and that his vision will become a reality.” 

The detailed specification of the new distillery has yet to be finalised but will include facilities for visitors. 

Plans for Torabhaig are being created by Edinburgh architects Simpson & Brown, a specialist partnership responsible for conserving some of the United Kingdom’s most important historic structures as well as designing award-winning contemporary buildings. 

“The design of the new distillery will reflect a commitment to quality and to the best values of the industry we are joining,” explained Neil Mathieson. “Torabhaig will be very traditional and a sympathetic transformation of the existing farm steading. Simpson & Brown had previously looked at this site for Sir Iain Noble so there is an appropriate continuity in their involvement. ” 

Planning consent has been granted for Torabhaig and it is expected that construction work will begin in the early summer. It is anticipated that the first new spirit will flow from Torabhaig by the end of 2015.