We are proud of our heritage and love our wee county of Caithness, right at the tip of mainland Scotland, with its cathedral-like skies, wide open spaces and peaceful wilderness.

We will hand distill slowly, thoughtfully and passionately to create an exceptional product.

Stannergill Whisky will be made using malting barley sourced in Caithness.  In 2023, barley grown in the fields surrounding Castletown Mill will be harvested, sent to maltings then returned to us to produce whisky.

We will make Stannergill Whisky in traditional copper pot stills. It will be aged in American casks used previously to mature Bourbon-whiskey and European casks first used for maturing Sherry.

Brand new casks over-power the subtle flavours of Scotch Whisky, so it is preferable to use “seasoned” casks that have held other types of alcohol. All whisky casks are oak, as this wood is breathable, flexible, and porous. The layers of oak give different flavours to the whisky over time. The better the wood, the better the flavour. As a small craft whisky distillery, we will choose our casks carefully to ensure the best flavour experience for our customers. American oak casks will give vanilla notes to Stannergill Whisky, while the difference in the grain of European oak will add notes of candied fruit, sweet raisin, and spice.

Legend has it that the benefit of cask maturation was accidentally discovered during the days of illicit distilling. One insignificant cask left forgotten led to shape the rich flavoursome spirit that we know today, meaning that new make spirit must be matured for at least 3-years and 1 day to legally be classified as Scotch Whisky. Stannergill Whisky will only be taken out of the cask when Martin our Master Distiller thinks it tastes perfect.  

From the mid-9^th century AD, much of Northern and Western Scotland including Caithness, Orkney, and Shetland together with much of Northern England and Western Ireland, was settled by newcomers from Scandinavia.

At first worshippers of gods such as Odin (Old Norse: Óðinn) and Thor (Old Norse: Þórr), they had converted to Christianity by the end of the 10^th century AD.

Caithness became part of the Earldom of Orkney, ruled from Norway, and its wealthy aristocrats had a mixed Gaelic-Scandinavian culture. Caithness remained at least partially Norse in outlook until the region finally became part of the Kingdom of Scotland in 1196 AD (and possibly long afterwards). The Norn language, derived from Old Norse, may have been spoken in Caithness until the 16^th century AD.

Stannergill Whisky takes its name from Stannergill Burn, which runs through the grounds where Castletown Mill is located. The people who built Castletown Mill were able to divert the pure Highland water from Stannergill Burn into an artificial channel called a mill lade which carried the water to a water wheel used to generate power to work the machinery required to grind grain into flour.

The name Stannergill is thought to derive from Old Norse, the language of the Vikings and probably comprises the Old Norse words: steinn garðr gil – which translates into English as a stone enclosed gorge (or ravine).

In his novel “Highland River”, Dunbeath born critic, dramatist, and novelist Neil Miller Gunn (8^th November 1891 – 15^th January 1973) describes Caithness “as the land of exquisite light” where “Lochs and earth and sea pass away to a remote horizon”.

Dunnet Bay Distillery is a magical place that creates spirits which are inspired by and embody Caithness, its unique cultural and natural heritage and its people. Our ethos is to create spirits which reflect the Caithness way and is based on five core values: