Crowdfund starts for ‘world’s most energy-efficient distillery’
Independent spirits producer The Thompson Brothers has launched a £1.8 million (US$2.33m) crowdfunding campaign to help fund the construction of Struie Distillery in Dornoch, Scotland.
Struie Distillery is to be a ‘cutting-edge’ sustainable distillery that aims to redefine the future of whisky production while boosting the local economy and advancing sustainable industry practices.
The new site will boast a production capacity 20-times more than the brothers’ current single malt whisky and gin production site, Dornoch Distillery, which is located less than 200 metres from the proposed location of the new build. Struie will be created to build on the success of this pre-existing operation, which is said to have seen continued oversubscription with every release.
The Dornoch Distillery will continues run alongside the new development, designed by Leask Architects, which brings with it an ‘industry-leading’ commitment to sustainability.
Utilising patent-pending technology – including a unique still and condenser design that has been engineered to run from on-site generated renewable energy sources – the distillery will operate with zero carbon emissions.
This innovation will mean that the Struie Distillery’s energy efficiency should be the best in the world, making it one of the most sustainable distilleries globally and at the forefront of a more sustainable future for Scotland’s whisky industry.
In addition, every aspect of production, with the exception of malting, will be handled on-site, including blending, bottling, labelling, and shipping.
“Our vision is to create a distillery that not only produces exceptional spirits but also sets a new standard for environmental responsibility in the industry,” said Phil Thompson. “Since my brother and I first dreamt of a new distillery, everything we’ve done has been building towards that goal. This crowdfunding campaign is about financing the build through the support of the wonderful whisky community that will help us to grow and share more Sutherland spirits with the world, all whilst bringing more long-term non-seasonal employment to the region we call home.”
Simon Thompson added: “We’re building Struie Distillery with a blend of past, present and future thinking. The goals we’ve put in place are about making great whisky right away, utilising many old-style production principles that we already run at Dornoch Distillery, but also building something unique and sustainable that will raise the bar globally for what distillers can do to protect the environment for the future. We want Struie whisky to be as delicious as it is sustainable.”
The project is expected to significantly boost the local economy, creating 10 new jobs in the local area, and bringing an estimated 12,000 annual visitors to the region, which is also home to The Thompson Brothers-owned Dornoch Castle hotel and its ‘world-famous’ whisky bar, as well as The Royal Dornoch Golf Club Championship Course, rated one of the best golf courses in the world.
The crowdfunding campaign, hosted on Crowdcube, aims to raise £1.8m as part of an overall raise of £5m (US$6.5m). An additional £3.2m (US$4.14m) will come from a combination of new and existing investors via a series A fundraise.
Plans for this new production site and fundraise were first floated in 2018, however the original plan did not have sustainability at its core.
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