Decade of growth and success for Lowland distillery
The visitor experience at the Scottish Lowland distillery is celebrating its tenth anniversary this month. The distillery has grown from humble beginnings to now exporting its whisky to all corners of the globe.
The Kingsbarns Distillery Visitor Centre in the beautiful East Neuk of Fife first opened its doors to the public in November 2014, following a multi-million-pound investment to transform the historic ruins of a semi-derelict nineteenth century farm steading into an award-winning visitor experience offering tours, tastings, a shop and cafe.
Since then, the distillery has produced almost half a million bottles of whisky, and has expanded its distribution into Asian, American and European markets.
The company now exports to 30 countries around the world and welcomes 20,000 visitors to its brand home each year.
Founder and Chairman, William Wemyss said: “The distillery has gone from strength to strength over the past decade during which time we have created dozens of unique expressions.
These have firmly established Kingsbarns as a boutique whisky producer, using first class ingredients on our doorstep including locally sourced water and barley from Fife to create memorable whisky moments.”
He added: “Creating a distillery is a once in a lifetime opportunity, the distillery started with my sister, Isabella and I and now supports a 32 strong team across the distillery and visitor centre.
This milestone is very much cause for celebration, but we are also firmly set on looking ahead and continuing with our ambitions to grow and produce more incredible malts.”
Kingsbarns produces a classic Lowland spirit that is light and fruity in style. The many different expressions are created by Master Blender, Isabella Wemyss, who painstakingly matches the spirit to a selection of the finest quality casks from around the world.
A core range of three distinctive whiskies is complemented by an annual limited release, providing consumers with a multitude of choice. The range is set to expand even further over the coming years.
Peter Holroyd, Kingsbarns Distillery Manager said: “Having been here from the very beginning and seeing our whisky develop and how well each expression has been received is testament to the passion and artisanal approach our team takes.
The culmination of all these efforts can be seen in our latest Kingsbarns Distillery Reserve 2024, which is our oldest expression to date and our very best yet.”
This whisky has been matured in first fill ex-sherry casks and demonstrates classic sherry characteristics without overpowering the quality of the spirit. All Kingsbarns whiskies are natural in colour and non-chill filtered.
Construction at the distillery began with the careful preservation of its historic Dutch pan tile roof and 18th-century stonework, followed by the initial land preparations.
A significant milestone was the ‘topping out’ ceremony in June 2014, marking the beginning of interior work. With the completion of this phase, the stills were installed, an aquifer was tapped for water, and local barley was sourced, allowing Kingsbarns Distillery to begin producing what would soon become an award-winning Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
The distillery opened its doors to the public at the end of 2014, offering visitors a unique opportunity to witness the whisky-making process firsthand and become part of Kingsbarns’ rich history.
