30-04-2025
- Business
- Press and Journal
Sutherland brothers reveal plans for new distillery after £2.3m investment
A pair of brothers behind a new Sutherland distillery are toasting to its crowdfunding success after it smashed its £1.85 million target.
Thompson brothers, Phil and Simon, have raised more than £2.3m as they aim to build a new distillery.
The campaign, which saw 702 investors, will help to fund the construction of the Struie Distillery which will be located less than 650 feet from their current Dornoch Distillery facility.
The pair plan to break ground on the distillery in the second half of this year and will further support the community by creating 10 jobs.
Phil and Simon have been reflecting on the success of the crowdfunding campaign.
The pair said it marked a 'significant milestone' in its journey to build a new Dornoch distillery.
Phil said: 'We are overwhelmed by the support from our community and investors.
'Surpassing our funding target not only validates our vision, but also accelerates our journey toward establishing Struie Distillery as a beacon of sustainability in the global whisky industry.'
Simon added: 'This marks a significant milestone for us and we're excited to go forward and break ground with a further 720 investors behind us.'
The ambitious project aims to build of the success of the current operation at Dornoch Distillery which has seen continued oversubscription with every release.
It will include a production capacity far exceeding its original Dornoch Distillery, producing up to 20 times more than its Dornoch Single Malt Whisky.
The new distillery has been designed by Leask Architects and will feature patent-pending technology.
It is aiming to 'redefine the future of whisky production while boosting the local economy' and advancing sustainable industry practices.
Every aspect of production except malting will be handled on-site, from liquid creation to blending, bottling, labelling, and shipping.
The project is also expected to significantly boost the local economy, creating new jobs and engaging the estimated 12,000 annual visitors to the region.
The crowdfunding campaign is part of an overall raise of £5m into Thompson Independent Traders Limited, which includes Dornoch Castle Hotel and Dornoch Distillery Company Limited.
