Final Witchburn Distillery plans submitted for new Campbeltown facility
Brave New Spirits submitted the final plans to Argyll & Bute council for their new Witchburn Distillery.
The application details a plan for a new sustainable distillery in Campbeltown, a remote town just off the Isle of Arran. Located between Campbeltown Airport and Machrihanish Village, Witchburn will utilise traditional whisky craftsmanship to create, unpeated, lightly peated and heavily peated malts.
Read More: Everything you need to know about peated whisky
The most environmentally friendly distillery in Scotland
Witchburn Distillery has a goal to become the most environmentally friendly distillery in Scotland.
It will:
- Operate on 100% renewable energy
- Use the latest heat and recovery systems
- Run 24/7 to avoid heat and energy loss
Sustainable distilling in whisky production has become incredibly important to an industry that is experiencing rapid growth internationally.
The function of peat in the whisky has been criticised due to the reliance on burning peat in the production process.
The location of the Witchburn Distillery aims to avoid damaging the beautiful surroundings.
Gareth Roberts, founder and director of Organic Architects, said of the plans: “This latest planning application is great news for Campbeltown’s economy.
“Craft whisky makers can thrive here, benefitting from clean water, local power generation and an idyllic location. The whisky boom will provide local well paid and stable jobs across a variety of roles including distilling, warehousing and visitor centres.
“Campbeltown is definitely one to watch and we are proud to be involved in its key turning point in history.”
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Production at the Witchburn Distillery
Brave New Spirits intend to produce two million litres of alcohol per year in an environmentally friendly production process.
The distillery will operate 24/7 with one Mash tun and a capacity of 5 tons.
On top of this there will be:
- 16 washbacks each with a 30,000 litre capacity
- 2 wash stills each with 16,000 litre capacity
- 2 spirit stills each with a capacity of 7,000 litres
The washbacks will allow for a fermentation period of 96 hours or more.
Casks will mature on-site at a warehousing facility close to the sea. Also, at other maturation sites in the Campbeltown area.
The wood policy at Witchburn is carefully planned to only use casks from famous American Bourbon producers, Oloroso Sherry casks from various Bodegas, selected Tawny and Ruby Port barriques and organic Bordeaux wine barriques.
Every part of the production process is carefully planned out to be as environmentally friendly as possible.
Witchburn Distillery will create 30 new permanent jobs in the local area and plans to add a visitor centre to the facility in the coming years.
Read More: Campbeltown Whisky: A History of the Whisky Capital of the World
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