| Country | scotland |
| Region | Highland |
| Established | 2023 |
| Owner | Jon and Victoria Erasmus |
| Type | Single Malt Scotch Whisky Distillery |
| Number of stills | Kaspar Schulz copper pot stills (lantern-shaped, upward lyne arms) |
| Visitor center | Yes |
| Status | Active |
| Phone | n/a |
Uile-bheist Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery located on Ness Bank in Inverness, Highland, Scotland. It was founded in 2023 and is currently owned by Jon and Victoria Erasmus, who also run the adjacent Glen Mhor Hotel and Waterside Restaurant. It is the first new distillery built in Inverness in over 130 years, ending a gap left when the city's last distilleries, Glen Mhor, Glen Albyn and Millburn, closed in the 1980s.
Uile-bheist was established in 2023 on the banks of the River Ness in the heart of Inverness, realised as the long-held ambition of its founders to produce artisan whisky and beer in their home city. The name is Gaelic for "monster," a nod to the legendary Loch Ness Monster associated with the river and loch on which the distillery sits. Built at a cost of around £7.5 million, the site combines a working distillery, brewery, taproom and restaurant, and was designed around a low-impact, high-craft production philosophy rather than large-scale volume. It draws on clean energy from shallow water wells on the riverbank and uses locally grown and malted Highland barley in its brewing operation.
The distillery's stills were engineered by the German coppersmiths Kaspar Schulz and are of a distinctive lantern shape with upward lyne arms, described by the founders as among the most advanced in Scotland. The first spirit ran from the stills in late 2023. Because Scotch whisky must mature in oak casks for a minimum of three years before it can legally carry the name, Uile-bheist's own single malt is not yet on general sale; its new-make spirit, a clean and fruity distillate produced from long fermentations, is being laid down in a mix of ex-bourbon and wine casks ahead of an expected first single malt release around 2026-2027.
As a distillery founded in 2023, Uile-bheist does not yet have a matured single malt on general release, since Scotch whisky requires a minimum of three years' cask maturation. Visitors to the on-site taproom can currently sample the distillery's new-make spirit alongside a rotating selection of blended malt whiskies and craft beers from the in-house brewery, with the first Uile-bheist single malt expected around 2026-2027.
Uile-bheist distillery is located at Ness Bank, Inverness, IV2 4SG, Scotland.
Uile-bheist distillery was founded in 2023.
Uile-bheist distillery is owned by Jon and Victoria Erasmus.
Uile-bheist distillery is from Highland, scotland.
Yes, Uile-bheist distillery welcomes visitors.
You can buy Uile-bheist 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.