| Country | scotland |
| Region | Islands |
| Established | 2018 |
| Owner | Orkney Distilling Limited (Stephen and Aly Kemp) |
| Type | Single malt / blended malt Scotch whisky (also gin and rum) |
| Number of stills | 3 copper pot stills (whisky) |
| Visitor center | Yes |
| Status | Active |
| Phone | n/a |
The Orkney Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery located on the harbour-front in Kirkwall, Orkney, in the Islands region of Scotland. It was founded in 2016 by local couple Stephen and Aly Kemp, with the distillery and visitor centre opening on Ayre Road in July 2018, and is currently owned and operated by Orkney Distilling Limited. It began life as an award-winning gin producer and only added whisky-making equipment and licensing in 2023, making it one of Orkney's newest whisky distilleries alongside the island's long-established Highland Park and Scapa.
Stephen and Aly Kemp founded Orkney Distilling in 2016, driven by a wish to combine their passion for gin with pride in their Orcadian heritage. The company's first product was Kirkjuvagr Orkney Gin, distilled using locally grown and foraged botanicals, which quickly won industry awards and built a loyal following. The purpose-built distillery and visitor centre opened on Kirkwall's historic harbour-front in July 2018, giving the brand a permanent home and a base for tours and tastings.
Encouraged by the success of its gin range, Orkney Distilling expanded into whisky production, receiving the necessary licences in September 2023 and installing three additional copper pot stills dedicated to whisky, giving the site a combined production capacity of around 30,000 litres of pure alcohol per year. The first whisky spirit ran from the stills on 27 March 2024. As that new-make spirit is still maturing towards the legal minimum age for Scotch whisky, the distillery's current whisky releases, Fara and Rysa, are small-batch blended malt Scotch whiskies sourced from several Scottish distilleries, including Orkney, rather than single malts from its own stock. In the meantime, the distillery runs a "Whisky School" offering one, three and five-day immersive courses for visitors, alongside its regular tours and tasting bar.
As the distillery's own single malt is still maturing, its current whisky range consists of two small-batch blended malt Scotch whiskies bottled at 46% ABV: Fara, an unpeated blend with notes of heather honey, vanilla and spiced apple, and Rysa, a peated, non-chill filtered blend with smoky, dried-fruit and crème brûlée character. Both are named after uninhabited islands in the Orkney archipelago and are made using malt whiskies from several Scottish distilleries, including Orkney's own. A single malt from the distillery's own new-make spirit (first distilled March 2024) is expected once it reaches maturity.
Orkney Distillery distillery is located at Ayre Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1QX, Scotland.
Orkney Distillery distillery was founded in 2018.
Orkney Distillery distillery is owned by Orkney Distilling Limited (Stephen and Aly Kemp).
Orkney Distillery distillery is from Islands, scotland.
Yes, Orkney Distillery distillery welcomes visitors.
You can buy Orkney Distillery whisky at Glenbotal.co.uk. We currently stock a selection with free UK delivery on orders over £99.
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About Glenbotal
The idea of Glenbotal came to us naturaly: as whisky lovers, we were always on the lookout for new experiences in the whisky world. That’s why we created Glenbotal and became our very own first customers. We buy unique and hard to find spirits from auctions, ballots, and private collections. Then, we share them with a small circle of friends and people who can appreciate a good dram.