Sam Heughan opens Galloway Distillery in Scotland
Actor Sam Heughan, co-founder of The Sassenach Spirits, has acquired Crafty Distillery in the south of Scotland and rebranded it as Galloway Distillery.
The distillery will be the spiritual home of Heughan’s The Sassenach brand, which he co-founded in 2021 with his business partner, Alexander Norouzi.
The distillery is where the brand’s The Sassenach Wild Scottish Gin was developed and produced. The brand’s The Sassenach blended Scotch whisky will now also be produced at the distillery.
Crafty Distillery also distilled the Hills & Harbour line of brands, which includes Hills & Harbour Gin, Hills & Harbour Distilled Gin Cocktail, and 24 Seven Vodka.
The Crafty name has disappeared following Heughan and Norouzi’s acquisition, but its Hills & Harbour spirits will continue to be produced at Galloway Distillery. They will be integrated into the Galloway Distillery house of brands, sitting alongside the flagship Sassenach spirits.
The distillery will play host to the first release of The Sassenach Finest Scottish Vodka, slated for November, and will also produce The Galloway Scotch Whisky, with a production capability of 200,000 litres of pure alcohol per annum.
The distillery marks a return to roots for the Outlander star, who hails from Galloway in Scotland.
Heughan said opening the distillery has been a personal dream: “Galloway is an inspirational place. It has unique heritage, folklore, landscapes and people. [It’s] very accessible yet remains an undiscovered and ancient land.
“I created the Galloway Distillery to return to my roots and give back to the land where I was born. My purpose is to shine a light on this unsung corner of Scotland that has so much to offer.
“This represents a true homecoming and new chapter, in the pursuit of fine Scottish spirits from this undiscovered and exceptional land, in the south of Scotland.”
Heughan and the team have plans to significantly develop and expand the visitor offering over the next year, with expansion plans approved for an extended phase.
Galloway Distillery will also endeavour to operate sustainably and is powered by green energy, with local wind used for cooling during the distilling process.
Co-founder Norouzi added: “The Galloway region is one of Scotland’s undisputed gems that blends natural beauty, rich history, and warm hospitality.
“For visitors, it offers the perfect start to explore the gateway to Scotland.”
Tours of the distillery can be booked via the Galloway Distillery website. They run five days per week with three tours per day. The maximum capacity per tour is 16 people, with tour space of 12,500 guests annually.
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