Dunnet Bay distillery

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Dunnet Bay Distillery
Dunnet Bay Distillery - geograph.org.uk - 5811232.jpg
LocationDunnet, Caithness KW14 8XD, Scotland, United Kingdom
Coordinates 58°37′19″N3°20′40″W / 58.6219°N 3.3444°W / 58.6219; -3.3444
OwnerDunnet Bay Distillers Ltd.
Founded2014;12 years ago (2014)
FounderMartin Murray
Claire Murray
StatusOperational
No. of stills2 x 500 litre pot stills
Website dunnetbaydistillers.co.uk
Location
Dunnet Bay distillery

Dunnet Bay distillery is a gin distillery in Dunnet, Caithness, Scotland. It is the most northerly distillery on the mainland of Great Britain. [1]

Contents

The distillery's principal product is Rock Rose gin, though it also produces vodka and rum. A second site, a disused grain mill next to the distillery headquarters, has been converted, [2] in order to expand into single malt whisky.

History

Dunnet Bay distillery was founded in 2014 by couple Claire and Martin Murray. Martin Murray had previously worked in oil and gas for TotalEnergies and BP; Claire Murray had been in hospitality. [3] [4]

Clearing work on the site began in 2012. A still was purchased to exacting specifications from John Dore & Co., which would be nicknamed 'Margret', after the co-founder's mother. [5] The first spirit run was in August 2014. A second still, nicknamed 'Elizabeth', was added later the same year. This still was named after Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. [6]

The distillery was named 'Scottish Distillery of the Year' at the 2019 Scottish Gin Awards. [7] An environmental manager was appointed in 2021, and the distillery was subsequently awarded 'Environmental/Sustainability Business of the Year' by the Federation of Small Businesses in 2022. [8]

The company acquired a second site, the B-listed Castletown Mill, in 2021, to act as an extension of their head office. [9] In 2022, they applied for planning permission to convert the Castletown site into a whisky distillery. [10] The conversion of the site began in 2023. [11]

Products

Rock Rose, the flagship gin made at Dunnet Bay, was first released in 2015. [12] The gin's name refers to the local term for one of its botanicals, Rhodiola rosea; several of its botanicals are hand-foraged in the area around the distillery. [13] [12]

The first variation of Rock Rose, in October 2016, was a Navy Strength bottling at 57% abv, followed by a number of 'Seasonal Editions' that reflected the four seasons of the year. [14] [12] A special edition of Rock Rose matured in sherry cask was made in November 2019, and a 10th anniversary edition flavoured with vanilla was released in 2024. [15] [16]

In 2018, the company released a limited edition gin called Broach Rose in support of the archeological charity Caithness Broach Project. The gin used botanicals inspired by plant remains retrieved from a beaker found in a Bronze Age cist grave in Achavanich. [17] Another limited edition bottling in 2019 raised funds for the Rotary Club of Thurso. The gin was named Cold Water, after the traditional cold water surf practiced in Thurso East, and used spearmint and caraway as botanicals. [18]

In addition to gin, the company also make Holy Grass Vodka and Mapmaker's Rum. [16]

References

  1. ↑ "A day in the life of... Claire Murray, Dunnet Bay Distillers". The Gin Cooperative. 15 November 2021.
  2. ↑ O'Connell, ADAM (18 November 2025). "Historic Castletown Mill Restored as New Whisky Distillery". Master of Malt. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  3. ↑ "Q&A with Martin Murray: Owner and Distiller at Dunnet Bay Distillers". Marks & Clerk. 7 December 2022.
  4. ↑ Hedley, Mark (7 November 2023). "Martin Murray: "We had a simple goal of making our favourite gin"". Square Mile.
  5. ↑ "Dunnet Bay Distillers". The Gin Cooperative.
  6. ↑ "Our Story". Dunnet Bay Distillers.
  7. ↑ "Winners announced at The Scottish Gin Awards 2019 ceremony". The Scottish Gin Society. 11 October 2019.
  8. ↑ Gunn, Jean (5 April 2022). "Dunnet Bay Distillers win environmental title in small business awards". The Northern Times.
  9. ↑ "Visitor centre & distillery cleared for at-risk Caithness mill". Urban Realm. 23 June 2022.
  10. ↑ "Plans lodged for new distillery in 200-year-old Castletown mill". Scottish Financial News. 3 February 2022.
  11. ↑ Davidson, John (18 September 2023). "PICTURES: See inside the 19th-century Caithness mill undergoing a £4m transformation". John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier.
  12. 1 2 3 Hopkins, Amy (4 April 2016). "Rock Rose Gin launches new seasonal variants". The Spirits Business.
  13. ↑ Erskine, Rosalind (10 September 2019). "Scottish gin distillery guide: the best distilleries in Scotland you can visit for a tour or day trip". The Scotsman.
  14. ↑ Kiely, Melita (8 October 2015). "Navy Strength Rock Rose Gin hits UK market". The Spirits Business.
  15. ↑ "Stunning new Rock Rose Gin edition released". The Scottish Gin Society. 7 November 2019.
  16. 1 2 "Dunnet Bay Distillers release birthday edition Rock Rose Gin". SLTN. 24 July 2024.
  17. ↑ Smith, Kenny (22 June 2018). "A Scots craft gin 2000 years in the making". Scottish Field.
  18. ↑ "Limited-edition gin to support Thurso Rotary fundraising". John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier. 23 September 2019.
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