New make spirit will grow to be first Inverness malt whisky in 40 years
Uile-bheist Distillery has crammed its maiden casks, with the brand new make spirit set to grow to be the primary single malt whisky to be distilled in Inverness for 40 years.
Head Distiller Andrew ‘Drew’ Shearer carried out the historic first cask filling, with the distilled spirit now being laid down for maturation in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon oak casks for no less than three years earlier than formally changing into Scotch Whisky.
In a milestone week, Uile-bheist additionally crammed the primary batch of 500 (500ml) bottles of the brand new make spirit which has an ABV (alcohol by quantity) of 63.5%.
The brand new make will go on sale to guests to the brand new £7.5m distillery, brewery and customer attraction which is located on the banks of the River Ness; powered by water from the well-known river.
Inverness was previously host to a number of massive distilleries however the final of these, Millburn, closed its doorways in 1985. With its closure went the final drops of the ‘water of life’ to circulate from town.
Now the general public can lastly get an perception into what the signature Uile-bheist Single Malt can be like when totally aged, with casks additionally being made accessible to buy for collectors of rarities.
Round 60 casks of the historic product can be found, ranging in value from £6000 for a 200L ex-bourbon cask to £7500 for a 250L ex-sherry Hogshead of Uile-bheist single malt.
Whereas the worldwide buyers and collectors market stays buoyant, curiously, most consumers up to now have come from Inverness and the highlands.
Co-Proprietor Jon Erasmus feels this displays a way of neighborhood possession within the undertaking and an eagerness to be a part of the story of how distilling has returned to the highland capital.
“This week marks the top of the start for us: the casking and bottling of our first product. We’ve been by means of the method. Now we need to construct on our manufacturing and capability.
“In the end, we’re a household enterprise supporting this idea for the very long run. It is a small, area of interest whisky within the highlands with a number of provenance. It is vitally restricted version. In the event you purchase it, you’ll actually be one in all dozens, not hundreds.”
The Uile-bheist story comprises distinctive parts which the staff imagine can be mirrored within the product.
Water for vitality and manufacturing is sourced by means of shallow water wells from the River Ness, making the on-site course of low carbon and vitality environment friendly.
Water is handled by UV gentle and know-how from modern German coppersmiths, Kaspar Schulz, allows the restoration of warmth all through distillation.
Malted barley is sourced from Bairds Malt, lower than 2 miles away, curbing transport emissions.
Moreover, the yeast used is brewers’ yeast fairly than distillers’ yeast, reflecting that
Uile-bheist is a brewery and distillery.
“As a result of we’re utilizing a brewers’ yeast, our personal water provide, a really lengthy fermentation time (minimal 4 days, typically for much longer) and have numerous temperature management in our fermentations, we’re getting a a lot larger ester content material in our whisky, much more fruity notes and a way more distinctive product,” stated Head Distiller, Drew Shearer.
“By means of fermentation, we get a really fruity distillate. We’re then distilling it twice utilizing very conventional model copper pot stills however utilizing model new know-how to watch the method exactly.
“It’s a really gentle spirit, very fruit ahead and a bit nutty within the background. It’s a bit extra on the Speyside facet, fairly than being typical of a highland malt.”
Uile-bheist intends to launch a ‘very bespoke’ bottling of its Single Highland malt at 3 years previous while laying down the rest for ‘the lengthy haul’.
