The race is on to produce Orkney’s first gin after councillors backed plans for a craft distillery on the islands.
Stephen and Aly Kemp have received the all-clear for their new gin-making venture in Kirkwall.
A smaller project 12 miles away in Deerness is still waiting for a planning decision, with Stuart and Adelle Brown hoping to have it up and running by late summer.
Orkney Islands Council said the Kemp’s plans for an artisan distillery, visitor centre and shop in Ayre Road, Kirkwall, would improve the character and appearance of the location, while traffic and parking concerns were “not of sufficient weight to merit refusal”.
Work on Orkney Distilling’s building will start in autumn, with an official opening planned for next spring.
Once open, the distillery will take on full production of the company’s Kirkjuvagr gin, which has been undergoing development and testing over the past few months.
Mr and Mrs Kemp have worked closely with the Agronomy Institute at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Kirkwall to identify a “uniquely Orcadian “blend of ingredients for their gin, which they are having made in mainland Scotland until production start-up in Kirkwall.
Kirkjuvagr will be officially launched later this summer, with the first batches sold exclusively in Orkney.
Mr Kemp said: “Securing planning permission for our distillery represents a major step forward for the project.
“We’re now looking forward to getting work underway on the distillery and creating what we hope will be a major new visitor attraction for Orkney.”
He added: “We’ve tried to create an attractive building that fits in well with its harbour-front location.
“The siting of the distillery was particularly important for us, given the seafaring and Norse themes in our branding, so we’re really delighted to get the go-ahead.
“We’ve fine-tuned our recipe for Kirkjuvagr and are confident we’ve created a gin that’s going to make a real impact on the marketplace.”
The Browns hope their plans for Deerness Distllery will also help put Orkney on the map as a Scottish centre for gin amid buoyant times for the spirit north of the border.
Nearly 30 new gin distilleries sprang up across Scotland between 2010 and 2015, taking the total to 119, which is 28 more than in England, according to figures from HM Revenue and Customs.
Of all the gin produced in the UK, 70% is now made in Scotland.
In January, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association launched the Scotland Gin Trail to showcase the country’s distilling prowess and attract tourists.
