Introduction
At the very edge of the British Isles lie the Shetland Islands, where the North Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is a place full of mysteries and secrets, with long summer days and long winter nights. A place of dramatic weather.
From this remote community, the Saxa Vord Distillery has emerged, the most northerly distillery in the UK, founded by four people who share a passion for producing high-quality products in local communities.
The distillery is located on the northern part of Unst, the most northerly inhabited island in the UK, accessible only from the Shetland mainland by two ferry journeys via the island of Yell. It is closer to Norway, both in distance and in culture, than it is to much of Scotland.
History
The Shetland Distillery Company was created by four people who shared a passion for producing high-quality products in local communities.
Over the past 12 years, Frank and Debbie Strang have revitalized the former RAF site at Saxa Vord, Unst, transforming it into an award-winning tourist resort with year-round self-catering accommodation, a seasonal hostel, and a bar/restaurant.
Stuart and Wilma Nickerson own and operate The Malt Whisky Company, which releases its own range of independently bottled single cask, single malt Scotch whiskies. Stuart has worked in the Scotch whisky industry since 1979 and has managed several of the most well-known distilleries.
There is a shared desire not only to build the most northerly Scotch whisky distillery and the most northerly gin distillery in the UK but also to create the finest expressions of these two products at the distillery on Unst.
The Gin
The goal from the beginning was to be inspired by their surroundings, using local botanicals to create a gin that is completely unique and embodies the place where it originates.
Initially, their small-batch gin production was only available within Shetland. However, word spread, and now customers all over the world enjoy this gin. With demand exceeding expectations, they continue to distill all their gin on-site with their small but growing local team.
