The world’s first 100% community-owned distillery, GlenWyvis Distillery, has launched its first ever whisky.
3,600 bottles of the three-year-old GlenWyvis Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky have been allocated to GlenWyvis Distillery shareholders, whose investment enabled the build and development of the distillery.
A further 2,000 bottles were available to pre-order in October 2020 and sold out almost immediately, says the distillery. Deliveries are expected by Christmas.
As with all of GlenWyvis’ online sales, 5% of the purchase price went to the GlenWyvis Community Benefit Fund. Another 200 bottles will also be available at selected retailers and on-trade premises throughout Scotland.
GlenWyvis Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is the first whisky to be produced in Dingwall in almost 100 years, with the last whisky distillery, Ben Wyvis, closing its doors in 1926.
Distillery manager Matthew Farmer said: “100 years on from the last whisky being made in Dingwall, we are so excited to be launching GlenWyvis Distillery’s first whisky. Our journey over the past few years and the creation of GlenWyvis Distillery is thanks to our many shareholders so it is only fitting that they will be among the first to try our first whisky.
“The 2018 distillation of 18 casks has produced a delicious whisky and I can’t wait for our shareholders and customers to try it. If you missed out on a bottle, don’t worry as it will be available to try at selected bars, restaurants and retailers in the Highlands and wider Scotland.
“We think GlenWyvis Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has been worth the wait and we hope you love it as much as we do.”
Mr Farmer grew up in the Highlands but moved to the USA when he was a teenager. Having worked at Bourbon distilleries and supported the GlenWyvis Distillery from the very start, he says he jumped at the chance to become distiller at GlenWyvis when it became available and is now raising his family in the area.
Office manager Josh Fraser is a local and joined the distillery team straight from school, and distillery operator Craig MacRitchie has been at GlenWyvis since the beginning.
Chairman David Graham said: “Present and past directors will join me in expressing real pride and admiration for the dedicated GlenWyvis team on reaching this significant milestone and producing Dingwall’s first whisky in almost 100 years.
“Our small team has worked with passion to produce a fantastic product for all our shareholders and customers, and I look forward to raising a dram to each and every one of them and to the future of GlenWyvis Distillery.”
The community spirit that helped start the distillery has also influenced the launch of this inaugural whisky with shareholders and friends of the distillery featuring in some of the launch photography.
More details of where to find the whisky are available at www.glenwyvis.com
