Moray (and a famous author) celebrate new distillery
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A celebration evening was held at one of Moray’s most famous distilleries to mark the start of building work on its newest.
Many of the great and good of Scotland's whisky industry assembled at Glenfiddich to mark the huge strides made a few miles down the road at Cabrach.
A busy Winter construction schedule should ensure significant progress by the end of 2022.
Final masonry works will be completed at Inverharroch Farm, a 19th-Century steading in the Cabrach, to make it wind- and watertight before hardwood windows and doors are installed and the roof is topped with reclaimed Welsh slate.
The coming weeks will also see the construction of the new peat shed — the development’s energy and malt-handling centre.
Grant Gordon, chairman of The Cabrach Trust, said: "To bring together many of the wonderful whisky community is cause for celebration in itself.
"That we are able to mark the incredible progress made in recent months towards bringing malt whisky production back to the Cabrach is doubly satisfying.
"We thank everyone who helped us enjoy the occasion and we look forward to welcoming them to the home of a completed and fully-functioning Cabrach Distillery in years to come."
Entertainment at the event was supplied by ClogIron, a five-piece rock band whose members include the best-selling author Ken Follett on bass.
The novelist, who lives in Hertfordshire and has sold over 160 million books, said: "It’s always great to get the band together, especially for an event like this with such a warm and hospitable atmosphere.
"We only play a few gigs a year, so each one is always very special."
The distillery is the cornerstone of the trust's plans to regenerate the Cabrach by bringing much-needed skilled employment to the area as well as visitors.
It was announced last month that a £3.5million construction deal had been struck with the Rothes-based firm Forsyths.
The hope is that, by the end of 2023, single malt production will have resumed in the Cabrach for the first time in over 170 years.
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