The Coleburn Distillery’s transformation into a whisky resort will be an “immersive experience”, according to co-owner Dale Winchester.
The distillery, south of Elgin, ceased operations in 1985.
In 2004, Dale and his brother Mark purchased the buildings.
Their ambition has always been to turned the distillery into a resort with a five star hotel, lodging accommodation and spa and conference facilities.
They also want to reinstate Coleburn as a full working distillery and create a hospitality focal point.
The project is thought to be the first of its kind in the world.
Dale told the Press and Journal: “The original plan is still the plan to develop the whole site.
“Nowhere else have you got a five-star hotel sitting next door to a fully working distillery.
“It’s an opportunity for the public to get inside a distillery, stay overnight in it, get the sights, sounds and feel all together.”
What has been happening at Coleburn Distillery?
Over the years, D&M Winchester Limited has becomes a successful business with bases at Coleburn Distillery and Greshop Road in Forres.
They manage whisky on behalf of other independent bottlers, as well as exporting and importing.
Dale said: “Since 2017, we have been working hard to get a revenue stream flowing through the business to allow us to do all the other projects we want to do.
“We manage other independent bottlers’ whisky and we also have our own stock of whisky too with a vision of finishing that and bringing it to the market.
“We currently have a team of around 15 people which includes a bottling team, operating team and admin office.”
Importance of staying independent
Being independent is important.
For some, the easy solution to deliver the vision would have been to find large financial backers.
But for the brothers, they were never tempted by this.
Dale explained: “We’ve totally funded it ourselves. We’ve done it the hard way. The easy way would have been to just roll in somebody else’s money.
“We could have sold the whole site a number of times, but that’s not the plan.
“We’ve got a passion and a vision and we can see the benefit of delivering this whisky resort for the area.”
Director Gwenda Smits added: “This will be the first generation which delivers the Coleburn masterplan.
“We don’t have Macallan, Diageo or Gordon & MacPhail behind us.
“It will be unique as it has not been done before and no generation behind it.”
Opening of Bistro will mark first part of whisky resort’s hospitality
A unused piggery building at Coleburn Distillery will be transformed into a bistro.
There will be seating inside and outside.
Bosses are targeting a summer opening for it.
Gwenda explained: “This will be the first part of the hospitality at the whisky resort.
“We are wanting to open up the bistro this summer.
“It will be unique because of the setting.
“This bistro will have a smart casual offering and 60 covers.”
She says more details about the bistro will be revealed soon.
Accommodation at Coleburn Distillery
Later this year, a new purpose will be given to unused former pagoda which forms the end of the main distillery building.
It will be turned into a three-storey penthouse.
Dale said: “We will have fairly busy program this year.
“The transformation of the pagoda will be carried in quarter four of this year.
“New warehouses will be built and the launch of the whisky brand will take place too.”
In 2025, they are looking at getting the distillery back up and running to produce whisky.
Meanwhile, more work will take place on the hospitality and accommodation parts.
Whisky hotel concept is still happening
A five star hotel with 120 rooms is still on the cards as part of the whisky resort.
But there has been some tweaks.
Dale explained: “The whisky hotel idea has been developed a bit as there’ll be a mix of hotel type accommodation and log cabins that will sit into the woodland.
“It will give it a whole sense of place as much as we are in Speyside.
“Rather than going with the eight stories up type of hotel, it will be done sympathetically with the area.”
Since they started on plans to create a whisky resort at Coleburn Distillery, they have worked with Colin Armstrong Architects.
This resort will bring a significant number of new jobs and encourage visitors to stay longer in the local area.
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