After years of preparation, Port of Leith has officially started production. The vertical distillery — the first of its kind in the UK — first opened its doors in October 2023, 10 years after founders Paddy Fletcher and Ian Stirling began their whisky making journey.

This week, in a milestone moment for the young distillery, Port of Leith’s first new make spirit was distilled, ready for experimentation and development. Whisky fans are invited to join Port of Leith’s journey to whisky through its ‘Quality Control Division’, in which members will receive a sample annually and be involved in tastings as the spirit develops.

Port of Leith Distillery’s head of whisky, Vaibhav Sood (pictured), said: “Port of Leith Distillery stands out for its innovative vertical design, presenting both challenges and promising opportunities for our operation. We have been experimenting with every stage of the production process — from yeast strains and fermentation techniques, to the careful selection of perfect casks to nurture our spirit — to fine tune our desired taste profile and create a whisky as unique as the distillery it’s from.”

Ian Stirling, co-founder, added: “We stepped into our distillery this week to find the whole place smelling of mashing and fermentation. More than any other moment in the incredible journey of the last 10 years, this was the moment our improbable dream became a reality. 

“We are proud to be part of the new wave of Scotch whisky producers making the world’s most remarkable spirit. The dream that emerged in a back garden in 2013 was to create a whisky both we and Scotland could be proud of; nothing now stands in our way.”

Port of Leith Distillery is open to visitors for tours and tastings, and is also home to the Port of Leith Distillery Bar, which boasts 360º views of Leith and the Firth of Fort.

The company behind the distillery, Leith Export Co, has previously released blended whiskies Perpetuity and Table Whisky.