Distillery profile

Dornoch Distillery

Explore the distillery's history, craft, production, and the distinctive character of its whiskies.

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Dornoch Distillery

Brief overview of the distillery

Dornoch Distillery is located in Dornoch in the Scottish Highlands and is run by Thompson Bros. Here, a small, independent distillery comes together with the work of operating as an independent bottler, and the site has become known for both its own single malt releases in small batches and a core range that also includes blended whisky and gin. The ambition goes beyond the production itself: Dornoch is on its way to developing into a proper whisky destination.

History

The story begins with Phil and Simon Thompson, who had already built a well-regarded whisky bar in Dornoch before moving on to start making their own spirit on-site at Dornoch Castle Hotel. The project was funded through crowdfunding, where 200 whisky enthusiasts supported the idea of reviving old distillation styles. In 2017, the first batch of Dornoch New Make Spirit was matured in casks, and since then more than 500 casks have been filled. In the distillery’s first year, while the building was still under construction, the team also began releasing independent bottlings of rum and whisky, and this has since been an important part of the business. In 2020, the first public Dornoch Single Malt was released via a ballot system, and since then 16 casks have been released in that way. In 2022, the company moved into its new headquarters at Station Square in Dornoch and added SRV5 and TB/BSW to the range. The same period also saw plans for Dornoch South, which in 2023 received planning permission for a sustainable, carbon-neutral expansion with visitor centres and a tasting room.

Raw materials and production

Dornoch is a small, hand-driven distillery where production takes place alongside the distillery’s other work, and where the team themselves describe a preference for old distillation styles. Distillation happens daily, and the goal is to put more spirit into casks than is released. In addition to whisky, the distillery also works with gin in a separate setup and an additional still. The provided text does not go into details on malting, mashing, fermentation, or water source, but it clearly shows a production approach where small teams, continuous distillation, and a deliberate cask strategy are crucial. At the same time, it’s a place where in-house production and independent bottlings exist side by side.

Maturation and cask types

Maturation is characterized by small casks and very limited releases. Several of the Dornoch Single Malt releases have come from octave casks, and the small casks yield around 70 bottles. The spirit has been on cask since the first filling in 2017, and the distillery is working to build up a larger warehouse stock so that, in the long term, more whisky will be available than the small public releases suggest. The documented experimentation focuses particularly on the use of small casks and on how cask releases are managed through the ballot system.

Whiskies

The core range spans the house’s own Dornoch Single Malt Scotch Whisky to SRV5 Blended Scotch Malt Whisky, TB/BSW Blended Malt Whisky, and Organic Mediterranean Gin. Dornoch Single Malt is the most prominent whisky in the house and is released in very small quantities, while SRV5 and TB/BSW provide a more immediate insight into Thompson Bros’ style in blended form. It’s a range where single malt, blended malt, and blended Scotch malt sit side by side, and where the independent bottling part is still a clear part of the identity.

Whisky Type / series Age Cask and style Tasting profile Status
Dornoch Single Malt Scotch Whisky Single Malt Scotch Whisky 6-year-old release mentioned as being prepared in 2023 Octave cask The distillery’s own single malt project, launched publicly via the ballot system in 2020 and released in very small quantities, especially from octave casks. Current; Released in very limited ballot releases; 70 bottles
SRV5 Blended Scotch Malt Whisky Blended Scotch Malt Whisky Part of the distillery’s core range from 2022. Current; Core range
TB/BSW Blended Malt Whisky Blended Malt Whisky Part of the distillery’s core range from 2022. Current; Core range
Organic Mediterranean Gin The distillery’s gin is mentioned as a fixed part of the house’s production and core offering. Current; Core range

General tasting profile

Visit the distillery

Dornoch Distillery can be visited, and there is a shop at Station Square in Dornoch. The distillery also makes clear that it is working to expand the visitor experience with a visitor centre and a tasting room as part of the Dornoch South plan. Contact details are public, so visitors can get in touch with the house, but the provided text does not mention fixed opening hours, booking requirements, or specific tour formats.

Philosophy and craftsmanship

Phil and Simon Thompson work from a desire to bring old distillation styles back to life while also building something that can grow in Dornoch. Their approach is small in scale, but ambitious in direction: daily distillation, more spirit in casks than is released, and a clear will to make the city a whisky destination. Plans for a carbon-neutral expansion show that the production and development of the site are being considered together.

Sustainability

Plans for Dornoch South are described as sustainable and carbon-neutral.

Latest news

Hot Summer Blend 2023 – 2023-08-14

A blend named Hot Summer Blend 2023 was mentioned on the news page.