Borders distillery
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The Borders distillery, is a malt whisky, gin and vodka production facility in the Scottish Borders town of Hawick. The distillery produces malt whisky, William Kerrs Gin.{{Cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/8-brand-new-scottish-gins-to-get-excited-about-this-christmas-1-4836305 |title=8 brand new Scottish gins to get excited about this Christmas |last=Murphy |first=Sean |date=26 November 2018 |work=The Scotsman |access-date=15 December 2018}} and vodka and has a visitor centre on Commercial Road.
{{Infobox whisky distillery
| name = The Borders distillery
| image = Borders Distillery.jpg
| image_size =
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| location = Hawick, Scottish Borders, Scotland
| coordinates = {{Coord|55.42452|N|2.78887|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| Type = Lowland
| owner =
| founded = {{Start date|2018}}
| founder = {{Plainlist|
- George Tait
- Tony Roberts
- Tim Carton
- John Fordyce
}}
| architect =
| status = Active
| source =River Teviot
| stills = 2 wash stills
2 spirit stills
| capacity =2,000,000 L
| mothballed =
| demolished =
| website = {{URL|www.thebordersdistillery.com}}
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|type=Lowland}}
History
The Borders distillery is the first Scotch Whisky distillery in the Scottish Borders since 1837,{{Cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-10/scotland-s-next-wave-of-whisky-distilleries |title=Scotland's Next Wave of Whisky Distilleries |last=Sparks |first=Cator |date=10 September 2018 |website=Bloomberg |access-date=15 December 2018}} becoming operational in March 2018 and opening to the public on 1 May 2018.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-43948975 |title=Whisky distilling welcomed back |date=1 May 2018 |work=BBC News |access-date=13 December 2018 |language=en-GB}} The distillery is in a landmark building in the centre of town, having previously been the site of the Hawick Electric Company and several engineering businesses.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2016/07/three-stills-scottish-borders-plans-approved/ |title=Three Stills' Scottish Borders plans approved |last=Sherry |first=Kristiane |date=7 July 2016 |work=The Spirits Business |access-date=13 December 2018}} The distillery takes the form of two large sheds, dating from the 1880s joined by a modern glass extension to a Tudor Cotswold building.{{Cite news |url=https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/aj-architecture-awards-2018-heritage-project-of-the-year/10037864.article |title=AJ Architecture Awards 2018: Heritage Project of the Year |last=Wilson |first=Rob |date=4 December 2018 |work=Architects Journal |access-date=15 December 2018}}
Products
The hosts two wash stills, two spirit stills and a specially commissioned Carter Head still, made by Forsyths of Rothes.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2018/05/borders-distillery-officially-opens/ |title=Borders Distillery officially opens |last=Bruce-Gardyne |first=Tom |date=1 May 2018 |work=The Spirits Business |access-date=13 December 2018}} Whilst the malt whisky is maturing, management have developed a more traditional blend under the “Clan Fraser” and "Clan Fraser Reserve" brands, together with an edgier blended malt under the “Lower East Side” brand.{{Cite web |url=http://badenoch.scot/private-equity/three-stills/ |title=Private Equity - The Three Stills Company |website=Badenoch and Co. |access-date=13 December 2018}} In 2022, The Borders Distillery released "WS:01 Borders Malt & Rye". This is the first bend to leave the Scottish Borders region in 185 years.
The barley sourced for the distillery is entirely grown in the Borders and operating at full capacity the distillery will produce up to 1.6 million litres of pure alcohol.
William Kerr's Borders Gin, is made using the Borders Distillery's own malted spirit, which is mashed and fermented on site with the gin distilled in a bespoke Carter Head still,{{Cite web |url=http://www.stillcooker.com/carterhead-still.php |title=Carterhead still |website=StillCooker |access-date=13 December 2018}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.thebordersdistillery.com/our-brands/ |title=Our Brands |website=The Borders Distillery |date=14 July 2017 |language=en |access-date=13 December 2018}} a specially modified column still. The gin itself is named for William Kerr (1779-1814) was a native of Hawick and became a gardener at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, London{{Cite web |url=https://www.moodiedavittreport.com/the-borders-distillery-to-unveil-william-kerrs-borders-gin-in-cannes/ |title=The Borders Distillery to unveil William Kerr's Borders Gin in Cannes |last=Lane |first=Mark |date=28 September 2018 |website=The Moodie Davitt Report |language=en-GB |access-date=15 December 2018}}