Two Fife distilleries have revealed ambitious multi-million-pound plans to expand that will create new jobs.
InchDairnie Distillery is to invest £18 million in a new bonded warehouse at Osprey Road in Glenrothes.
The business, which was set up by Ian Palmer a decade ago, has secured approval for plans to develop a bonded warehouse for whisky maturation.
£18m investment in Glenrothes
It has purchased 11 acres of land for the project, which will create six jobs.
The distillery is currently producing whisky, with its first single malt scheduled to be ready for sale in 2029.
It previously revealed plans to initially release 20,000 cases of the single malt annually, with each containing 12 bottles.
As the whisky is produced more and more storage space is required, with hundreds of barrels already maturing in large warehouses.
Plans were given the go-ahead last year by Fife Council for 30 single storey maturation warehouses.
InchDairnie Distillery’s managing director Ian Palmer said: “We are delighted to build on our initial investment here in Fife with this additional maturation capacity.
“This expansion will allow the production from our now expanding distillation capacity to be all matured here in Fife.”
Plans for 10 jobs for Wemyss Family Spirits
Meanwhile, Wemyss Family Spirits has bought neighbouring land from Fife Council on Osprey Road.
Having gained planning permission to construct 12 bonded warehouses for whisky maturation on the 8.25 acres of land it has acquired, construction will soon get under way.
The business also plans to create a bottling plant in the future, which it is anticipated will create 10 jobs.
William Wemyss, managing director of Wemyss Vintage Malts, said: “Developing and owning our own maturation warehousing and bottling plant is an important strategic move for us to support our existing spirits business.
“As a long-standing Fife family, we are delighted to make this additional commitment to the region after our investment in Kingsbarns Distillery in 2015.”
InchDairnie and Wemyss Family Spirits have worked closely in recent years, and their land purchases have run concurrently, but separately.
Recently, InchDairnie Distillery has been letting space for the storage of casks in a bonded warehouse to Wemyss Family Spirits.
Now, both firms need to expand and create more storage to keep up with production.
Fife a ‘major distilling hub’
Each of the plots of land were sold by Fife Council to the businesses, with missives concluding early this month.
Fife Council’s spokesperson for finance, economy and strategic planning Altany Craik, welcomed the developments.
He said it reinforces Fife’s position as a major distilling hub.
The Glenrothes West and Kinglassie ward member said: “It’s a welcome investment to the area around Whitehill Industrial Estate.
“It offers a significant boost for the food and drink sector, with job creation expected in the longer term.”
Work on both projects is set to begin soon.
Conversation