Celebrating The Borders Distillery's inaugural single malt release

The Borders Distillery has announced the release of The Borders Single Malt Scotch Whisky, First Release – the distillery's inaugural single malt whisky and the first whisky distilled in the Scottish Borders since 1837. 

Located in the heart of Hawick, the distillery has been producing spirit since 2018, having been founded with the ambition of creating a single malt Scotch whisky unmistakably rooted in the Borders. 

Eight years on, that ambition has become reality with the launch of an inaugural single malt matured in first-fill bourbon casks before being finished in malmsey Madeira casks. 

For those who have followed the distillery's journey since the beginning, the release is a significant milestone for the business and wider Scottish Borders region. It also shines a light on local farming businesses that have supplied the distillery. 

Since spirit production began in 2018, we have supplied malt to The Borders Distillery from our Tweed Valley Maltings in Berwick-upon-Tweed, which is less than 40 miles away as the crow flies. 

However, our relationship with the distillery extends beyond simply malt supply through Borders Growers & Distillers, a partnership bringing together The Borders Distillery, Simpsons Malt and ten farming businesses located within a 30-mile radius of Hawick. 

The initiative was formally established in 2022, creating a fully traceable malting barley supply chain rooted in the Scottish Borders. Through the Growers Group, the growers supply malting barley on contract via our agricultural merchanting division McCreath Simpson & Prentice (MSP), while also purchasing their certified cereal seed through the business.

Post-harvest, the growers' barley is collected from the farms and stored in a designated bulk at our Craigswalls Grain Store, before being transported to the Tweed Valley Maltings for processing. Once malted, it is delivered to The Borders Distillery, maintaining local provenance and close oversight throughout.

According to The Borders Distillery, the whisky delicately balances rich sultanas, bright citrus and sweet caramel, with notes of honey and vanilla on the nose, before giving way to warm, lingering flavours of hazelnut and buttery macadamia to finish.  

Please drink responsibly. For more information, visit drinkaware.co.uk.