Whisky Galore? Now Barra wants to start distilling

[Sally Toms]

A legal supply of whisky could be coming to Barra – the island where classic filmWhisky Galore was made – if the man behind the Arran distillery has his way.

Andrew Currie, who created the Isle of Arran Distillery with his father, now plans a boutique operation on far-flung Barra. He’s identified a site, set up a company, appointed architects, and plans to advertise soon for locally grown ‘bere’, an early variety of malting barley.

Uisge Beatha nan Eilean Ltd (The Island Whisky Company) will distil a tiny 25,000 litres a year but Currie is confident.

“I believe a small production of very high quality whisky taps into the future of the malt market,” he says.

Like Arran, the distillery will incorporate a visitor centre and café from the outset. To build on the Compton McKenzie connection there are plans for a resource centre dedicated to the novelist whose works formed the basis for the popular television series Monarch of the Glen.

“We’ll show Whisky Galore and I hope to have original recordings of Compton McKenzie reading his works from the 1930s,” says Mr Currie.

Also like Arran, Uisge Beatha nan Eilean will offer ‘whisky bonds’ and the chance to buy your own cask of new made spirit. Mr Currie hopes that the Barra community will buy up to 10 per cent of the shares in the company.

Financing will start in earnest by the end of the year and it is hoped to break ground on the development in Spring 2005.

*More information can be obtained from andrew@andrewcurrie.com or contact the company tel: +44 (0)1290 552 108

[Onefortheditch]

http://www.uisgebeathananeilean.co.uk/

FYI - Here's the link!!

[Onefortheditch]

As you can see from the website they put the planning application in on June 2008, so it looks like this one is making real progress....unlike Blackwood.

Hopefully they'll get it!!

[Willie JJ]

I really hope this happens, but a drawing is not a distillery and I will believe this one once I see the stills in place.

[Spirit of Islay]

Not holding my breath on this one , he was involved in the one in the Lake District wasn't he ?

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

not only there. The name Andrew Currie is connected to more than one distillery project that did not come true.

Greetings
kallaskander

[r900p]

At least they hold the cheques and don't cash them until the casks are filled. The name does ring a bell with the one in Stavely, what really happened there in Stavely i guess we'll never really know.

Rob

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

a move forward towards actual building.

http://uisgebeathananeilean.co.uk/news.html

Greetings
kallaskander

[WhiskeyForPresident]

Its really quite interesting to follow a new distillery coming into existence like this. There's definitely a market out there; for instance, many yuppie Indians drink nothing but single malts :-)

Let's hope Andrew Currie's Barra works out as planned!

Suresh
htp://www.squidoo.com/best-scotch-whiskey

[Onefortheditch]

There is another working distillery in the Western Isles now called the Red River Distillery (or its garlic equivalent "Abhainn Dearg"). It is in its second or third year I think?

Its a farm type micro one like Edradour or Kilchoman

Just Shetland to go now now and we'll have a full set!!

[Willie JJ]

[quote="Onefortheditch"]There is another working distillery in the Western Isles now called the Red River Distillery (or its garlic equivalent "Abhainn Dearg"). It is in its second or third year I think?[/quote]
It appears he only started distilling last year and the first whisky will not be ready until 2011. I've put in a link to the Scotsman article:

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/scotlan ... 4451383.jp

[Deactivated Member]

There's a pretty good magazine covering whisky issues that did an article about Red River recently. You can see some of it here:

http://www.whiskymag.com/magazine/issue76/12008991.html

[Judy]

Just a quick update for those interested in Abhainn Dearg Distillery, the new website is http://www.abhainndearg.co.uk

[Onefortheditch]

[quote="MrTattieHeid"]There's a pretty good magazine covering whisky issues that did an article about Red River recently. You can see some of it here:

http://www.whiskymag.com/magazine/issue76/12008991.html[/quote]

Thanks for the link Mr TH. I am going to Lewis in August and will find the location of the distillery and what my friends in Lewis think about it!