The Scottish Borders Have Their Very Own Whisky Distillery

The Borders Distillery is owned by theThe Three Stills Company (TTSC), founded in 2013 and made up of four men who previously worked as executives for William Grant & Sons. The company feel strongly about supporting the local economy and respecting the history of the historic town of Hawick, and this is very apparent from the way the building has been restored to the links with the local high school to bring in young people. The distillery originally set out to create 19 new jobs, bring tourism to the local area through the distillery tours, and as they only use barley grown in the Scottish Borders within a 30 mile radius this is a truly local affair. With a tasting area, and super smart bar upstairs visitors can enjoy a dram in comfort after their tour to learn all about the production process. Every member of staff at the distillery takes their turn to deliver tours adding another different element to their day and allowing them to share their passion and knowledge of the process. John's passion for bringing young people into the business and giving everyone the opportunity to train to be fully fledged distillers was evident and it was good to see a mix of male and female staff in what is traditionally a male dominated profession.

We thoroughly enjoyed learning about Mashing (where the starch is broken down into fermentable sugars), then Wort (the beige-coloured sugary liquid). A cloudy wort containing husks and flour from the barley gives you a malty, nutty and spicy spirit whereas a clear wort gives you spirit with less cereal character. There was a lot of temperature taking and the smell made me want to have a drink, but this is a slow process so we must be patient. It is ironic that this old building was previously owned by five Irishmen and home to the Hawick Temperance Society and today it is producing alcohol. The 19th century Temperance movement advocated against excess drunkenness and promoted abstinence from alcohol. The Hawick Total Abstinence Society was founded in 1838, with members pledging to avoid all intoxicating beverages.

The Borders Distillery founders have kept in touch with the towns industrial roots by converting this old factory building in the town centre, while ensuring that the architectural details remain so they can take the building's history into the future. Slates were saved and re-used, the original sandstone walls are exposed, the glass roof and metal grid flooring allow for the 6 changes of air a day required without the requirement for any kind of power or electricity. One fact you might not know is that Hawick was the first fully electrified town in the Borders! Renewable energy is not a new phenomenon as in Hawick the textile mills were powered by the river Tweed and the electricity generated then fed the town until 1934 when it was nationalised. Distilleries rely on a pure and plentiful water source and John describes the location of the Borders Distillery as perfect: 20ft below the building is a water source that is so pure that it can enter the production process untreated. The nearby river Tweed is so cold and fast flowing that the water brought in to cool the stills can be fed back into the river and be back to the same temperature in less than a metre, ensuring the natural environment is unaffected. The stills themselves are handbeaten copper and each of the 4 stills carries the name of one of the founders on the hatch. We loved these little touches....so much thought has gone into the creation of this experience, with the resulting spirit almost feeling like a bi-product of so much history and passion.

The distillery started operating on 1st May 2018 and it takes a minimum of 3 years in cask before any whisky can legally be sold. So in theory the first casks could now be opened, but as all whisky connoisseurs will attest, the longer you wait the better it tastes. In the interim TTSC created a new blend of whisky called Clan Fraserwhich will be the first blend to flow through the pipes. This blend was inspired by the roots of the company, as the Fraser family settled in the Borders after travelling from France over 900 years ago. It will reflect the spirit of the Borders with a taste that will be both honeyed and buttery, with hints of cinnamon spice and vanilla. Amongst all the whisky, the unique Carterhead Stills (which use steam to create amazing flavours) are already producing the Puffing Billy vodka and Kerr's gin, to the delight of us here at ScotlandShop. Kerr's is the only Scottish Gin made with malted barley spirit. Named after William Kerr, born in Hawick in 1779, and one of the 19th century's most accomplished plant hunters and botanists.

Discussion on the Border name Kerr then led us to another story about the branch of Clan Kerr, the Kerrs of Cessford and Cessford Castle which lies not far from Hawick. There are many stories of their feuding with Clan Scott, but my favourite story is around the apparently unusually high number of the Kerr clan being left-handed, so they built the turnpike staircases to suit left handed swordsmen. Cessford Castle only remains as ruins today, whereas Ferniehirst Castle has been restored and is now available for exclusive rental if you fancy a beautiful location for a wedding or family gathering. But don't forget to hold your sword in your left hand!

Hundreds of years ago the Scottish Borders was thriving with whisky distilleries a major contributor to the rural economy and livelihoods of local people, but tax men sent by the English to collect duties forced the distilleries to re-locate to the highlands, a more remote region where whisky production could continue unhindered. Now that the Hawick project has been completed, plans have been put in place by other companies to open distilleries in Jedburgh and Peebles. Currently world famous for manufacturing cashmere and our beautiful tartan fabrics with a superior soft finish due to the softness of the water in the River Tweed flowing through the area, the distillery looks to expand the reputation of the town for producing high quality Scottish products in a different direction.