R&B Distillers has secured planning permission from Argyll and Bute Council for its Machrihanish Distillery, the first farm-to-bottle distillery in Campbeltown in over 180 years. DSSR has been commissioned to provide full building services and sustainability consultancy in relation to the new distillery.

Our client, R&B Distillers, is aiming to create a sustainable net zero distilling model that removes any fossil fuel use from the whisky distilling process. This means they will be creating a unique ‘farm-to-bottle’ single malt, growing and processing their own barley, resulting in a net-zero distilling process. The project also aims to energise much of distillery process by an industrial/commercial grade air source heat pump and utilise a bore hole as the source of the distillery water supply.

We are liaising with the Machrihanish Air Base in relation to the option to source an electrical 11kV connection (i.e. due to the local proximity) as an alternative to a grid connection. We are also providing micro grid options, considering wind, solar and battery storage working in conjunction with the grid/air base connection relative to the distillery base load.

R&B purchased the Dhurrie Farm in Machrihanish in 2021. Having received the green light for the distillery development, they will now work with various stakeholders around environmental guidelines and other conditions before beginning construction on the site next year. Machrihanish distillery will start with whisky production, followed by a full visitor experience, shop, and tasting room.

William Dobbie, Managing Director of R&B Distillers: “Our Machrihanish Distillery news, and Caskshare majority stake, puts us on a clear track towards achieving our vision of becoming the leading new wave spirits business in Scotland.”