Borders distillery

Lowland Single Malt Scotch whisky

Borders is set up to produce a light, fragrant and floral style of malt whisky – a very typical Lowlands character.

Long fermentation using a cloudy wort gives the spirit a malty fruitiness, while distillation in large lampglass stills with plenty of copper contact will heighten its fruity and floral qualities. Maturation will take place in predominantly ex-Bourbon barrels, although a mix of Portuguese red wine and rum casks will be used.

Map
  • Region
    Lowland
  • Production type
    Single malt
  • Distillery Status
    Working

Borders History

The last legal distillery to operate in the Scottish Borders closed in 1837, leaving the region to experience something of a whisky drought for the past 180 years.

Now all of a sudden several planned projects have come along at once, all bidding to be the first to revive distilling in the region for almost two centuries. The first to open will be the aptly named Borders distillery, operated by new group The Three Stills Company.

Headed by four Scotch industry veterans, the company was founded in 2013 and planning permission granted in late 2015 to transform a former factory in Hawick into a £10 million malt whisky distillery with the capacity to produce up to 1.8m litres of spirit a year.

The team broke ground at the site in August 2016, with the distillery kicking to life at 10.11am on 6 March 2018.

As well as producing a single malt Scotch whisky, the distillery will also feature a carterhead still to create a Borders gin, featuring local botanicals.

A small visitor centre will open to the public on 1 May 2018.

Borders Facts

  • Capacity (mlpa) i
    2
  • Condenser Type i
    Shell and tube
  • Fermentation Time i
    56-78 hours
  • Filling Strength i
    63.5%
  • Grist Weight (t) i
    5
  • Heat Source i
    Steam
  • Malt Specification i
    Unpeated
  • Malt Supplier i
    Simpsons
  • Mash Tun Type i
    Semi Lauter
  • Spirit Still Charge (l) i
    7,500
  • Spirit Still Shape i
    Boil Ball
  • Stills i
    4
  • Warehousing i
    Offsite
  • Wash Still Charge (l) i
    12,500
  • Wash Still Shape i
    Lampglass
  • Washback Size (l) i
    25,000
  • Washback Type i
    Stainless Steel
  • Washbacks i
    8
  • Water Source i
    River Teviot
  • Wort Clarity i
    Cloudy
  • Yeast Type i
    Distillers

Owner

Contact

Address
The Borders Distillery
16-20 Commercial Road
Hawick
TD9 7AQ
United Kingdom
Phone
+44 (0)1450 374330
Visitor Opening Hours
Monday
10am to 4pm
Tuesday
10am to 4pm
Wednesday
10am to 4pm
Thursday
10am to 4pm
Friday
10am to 4pm
Saturday
10am to 4pm
Sunday
Closed

Tours begin on the hour, every hour.

Map

See also

  • Clan Fraser Clan Fraser Clan Fraser Brand

    Clan Fraser

    Blended Scotch whisky popular in the Middle East and Africa.

  • Hawick Hawick Hawick Distillery

    Hawick

    Another here-and-gone distillery in its namesake town that operated briefly in 1818-19.

  • The Three Stills Company The Three Stills Company The Three Stills Company Distiller & blender

    The Three Stills Company

    Operator of the Borders’ first legal whisky distillery in 180 years.

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