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Dál Riata Distillery joins Campbeltown renaissance

A second producer has come forward with plans to build a Scotch whisky distillery in Campbeltown, called Dál Riata.

Dál Riata Distillery
An artist’s impression of the Dál Riata Distillery in Campbeltown

Bowman Stewart Architects has submitted the plans for the new Scotch whisky distillery, which will be located in Kinloch Road, overlooking Campbeltown Loch.

The news comes just days after the owner of the Isle of Raasay Distillery revealed plans to open a single malt whisky distillery in Campbeltown.

Dál Riata takes its name from a kingdom that existed on the western coast of Scotland and northeast Ireland between the sixth and ninth centuries.

The site will have the capacity to produce 850,000 litres of spirit per year and will use locally grown barley from Dunadd Hillfort. According to the producer, this area was the capital of the Dál Riata kingdom and will be used as the inspiration for creating a spirit in line with the style and traditions of the region.

Plans for the distillery also include a retail store and visitor centre, as well as a still house with a balcony overlooking the loch and bay.

Dál Riata said Campbeltown was once the whisky capital of the world, with more than 25 distilleries in the mid-1800s. By 1925, the Scottish town had only two operating distilleries.

“The addition of this distillery to the Campbeltown region will reinforce the town’s place in the story of Scotch, and Dál Riata will be a new chapter to an already incredible history,” said Iain Croucher, director of the distillery and founder of independent bottler North Star Spirits.

The other directors of Dál Riata Distillery are Ronnie Grant, owner and managing director of electrical business RB Grant, and David Stirk, former founder and owner of bottler Creative Whisky Co and author of The Distilleries of Campbeltown.

New single malts

To mark the launch of the new distillery, three single malts have been released under the South Star Spirits brand: Highland, Speyside and Islay.

Each whisky is representative of its namesake area and made with a vatting of 10 hogsheads.

Highland is a 10-year-old whisky that is described as ‘nutty, rich and chewy’, while the 10-year-old Speyside single malt provides a fruity and floral nose with a salty-sweet palate of toffee and syrup.

The eight-year-old Islay bottling is an ‘intense peaty liquid’ with notes of smoke, vanilla and sea salt on the palate.

Each expression is limited to 2,200 bottles worldwide and bottled at 48% ABV. The whiskies are available to buy in the UK from 22 February 2022.

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