Production places
Connections to water sources, peat places, maltings, cooperages, warehouses and maturation sites. Uncertain connections are labelled.
No documented production places are linked to this distillery yet.
The Borders Distillery
About the distillery
The Borders Distillery is located in Hawick in the Scottish Borders and is the first Scotch Whisky distillery in the region since 1837. The distillery opened in March 2018 and works with locally grown barley, mineral-rich water from a natural aquifer beneath the building and a process that combines tradition with a modern production setup. The result is whisky with clear connections to the Borders: primarily through the raw materials and maturation – and in the form of guided tours where you both see the production and taste whisky from their own distillation lines.
History
The whisky tradition in the Scottish Borders was dormant for more than 180 years before The Borders Distillery restarted production in Hawick. The distillery was founded in 2013 by a group of friends, all with experience in the Scotch whisky industry, who felt something was missing: there was no distillery in the Borders. In March 2018 the spirit began to flow in the region again – as the first Scotch Whisky distillery in the Scottish Borders since 1837. Local engagement and a strong manufacturing tradition from Hawick shape the story today, as they build their own whisky in the Scottish climate zone with patient maturation.
Raw materials and production
Production is based on locally grown barley and water drawn from a natural aquifer 17 meters under the distillery. The water is used in the mash process to help release the sugars that form the foundation for the spirit. Cooling water is also drawn from the nearby River Teviot and returned safely. Fermentation is described as a 72-hour fermentation, and distillation takes place in four copper stills, configured for maximum contact with copper. For the finished whisky, cask maturation plays a central role: several of the releases are based on first-fill bourbon barrels, and a Madeira cask maturation is also used as a finishing maturation in the first single malt.
Maturation and cask types
In the distillery's first single malt, first-fill bourbon barrels are the foundation, and a finishing Madeira cask maturation adds an extra dimension. Another release, Border’s Malt & Rye, is based on a small batch of rye spirit distilled in 2019, which was matured in the same fresh-fill bourbon casks as the malt. Overall, the distillery emphasizes cask maturation as a slow process, where whisky develops in the Scottish climate and gains character through the chosen cask setup.
Whiskies
The Borders Distillery currently presents its whisky releases with a focus on local origin and clear maturation choices. The range includes both a Single Malt Scotch Whisky First Release, limited to 10,000 bottles, and a Blended Scotch Whisky, Border’s Malt & Rye, which is only released in a fixed quantity. In both cases a clear ambition is highlighted to create a whisky that speaks to the Borders region's production heritage through raw materials, craftsmanship and patient maturation.
| Whisky | Type / series | Alcohol | Age | Cask and style | Flavor profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Borders Single Malt Scotch Whisky First Release | Single Malt Scotch Whisky | 46 % | 8 years in the Scottish climate | First-fill bourbon barrels and Madeira cask maturation; finish: Madeira finish | Inaugural single malt; first-fill bourbon barrels are the foundation, and a concluding Madeira cask maturation elevates the profile.; Nose: Caramel, vanilla, honey and a soft, rounded sweetness; Finish: Madeira finish; deeper sweetness, warmth and fresh orchard notes | Limited; Pre-order exclusive to 1837 Private Cask Owners; 10,000 bottles |
| Border’s Malt & Rye | Blended Scotch Whisky | 40 % | Fresh-fill bourbon casks | The first Blended Scotch Whisky to leave the Scottish Borders since 1837; each bottle is individually numbered.; Nose: Soft spice & toasted wood; Palate: Baked fruit in buttery shortcrust pastry; Finish: Warm custard | Current; Only 5,988 will be released for sale in the UK; 5,988 bottles |
Style and flavor profile of the whiskies
The Single Malt is described as smooth, elegant and fruit-forward with notes such as caramel, vanilla and honey and a Madeira finish. Border’s Malt & Rye is highlighted with soft spice and toasted wood on the nose, baked fruit on the palate and warm custard in the finish. Together the releases point to an overall direction toward balanced sweetness, fruity elements and warm dessert- and cask-derived character.
Visit the distillery
You can take guided tours where you see the full process, hear the stories and taste the whisky results – guided by the distillery's own distillers. The distillery is located in Hawick in the heart of the Scottish Borders, and the tours are aimed at both experienced whisky enthusiasts and curious first-time visitors. There is also a visitor-centre dimension to the story that the crew plays a role all the way from the still house to the visitor centre.
Philosophy and craft
The Borders Distillery emphasizes creating whisky that reflects the character of the Borders, and they are bringing whisky-making back to the region for the first time in over 180 years. The work is rooted in local collaborations and a circular approach: barley comes from local farms, and by-products go back to local agriculture. At the same time, patience is emphasized as part of the quality – nothing should be rushed through the process, from the fields and mills to the distillery itself.
Sustainability
Circular approach: by-products (draff etc.) go back to local agriculture and help create energy and nutrients in collaboration with local farms.
100% of the barley comes from within 35 miles of the distillery, with traceability from seed to spirit.
Cooling water is taken from the River Teviot and returned safely.