Whisky distillery appoints expert to bring back Scotland’s national drink to its spiritual Cabrach home
Scotland’s newest whisky maker has appointed its first head distiller.
The Cabrach was famed 200 years ago for the high-quality, but illegal whisky made by its inhabitants in illicit stills hidden around the rugged but beautiful landscape.
The newly-built Cabrach Distillery has chosen Euan Christie as the individual who’ll look to recreate that historic taste when it starts production in October.
Speaking of his excitement at taking the reins, the 29-year-old said: “We've got the potential to make some very special, high-quality liquid here, but, as importantly, we want this distillery and its whisky to be for the community."
The Cabrach Distillery was constructed entirely by Forsyths of Rothes.
Though all-new, it retains the character of the refurbished steading at Inverharroch Farm and boasts plenty of personality by way of its unique Buck Still – so-named after the iconic local hill.
In addition it has traditional dunnage warehouses that will eventually stand adjacent to a visitor centre and bistro.
The new distillery is part of The Cabrach Trust’s vision to improve the prospects of a rural community that has suffered dramatic depopulation over the past century.
Boosting employment and tourism, it also sits at the heart of a farm that’s now home to community craft programmes and a family-friendly nature trail.
Euan is coming to the Cabrach having been the manager of Dornoch Distillery.
He said: "No great chef ever worked at only one restaurant and, when this job came up, the nature of the project struck me as one-of-a-kind.
"Day to day, I'll be responsible for the smooth running of the plant, maintenance and quality-control. What’s important to me in whisky-making is being as hands-on and at the coalface as possible.
"It’s a fantastic opportunity for me to define the style and set the course for going forward.”
Euan added: “The Cabrach is rightly proud of its long history of whisky-making.
“I want our work to be viewed as an extension of that. Old books talk about the quality of the whisky here and I want to recreate that aura."
Euan's vision for the whisky itself is rooted in the community visible from the stillhouse door.
He added: "I was at the Cabrach Picnic and Games shortly before starting my new job to meet folk and get a feel for the place. We want to build a team that will include local folk and tap into that wealth of knowledge in the area.
"The team here will work on ideas of how the whisky will look, taste and feel, and we’ve spoken about a soft, classic Speyside style, with a subtle hint of peat as a homage to how the illicit whisky would have been peated.
“It may sound daft in whisky production, but I’m trying not to think too far ahead. I believe if we do the hard work now on the quality of the spirit, we put ourselves in a good position for three, four, five years’ time."
Jonathan Christie of The Cabrach Trust states that the new man has fitted right into the team already.
He added: "We're excited at the prospect of such a prodigious talent as Euan leading whisky production here.
“We're keenly anticipating what is to come as we aim to showcase the craft and alchemy of making Scotland’s national drink while telling the story of this historic region."
