Kingsbarns Distillery and Visitor Centre in Fife has officially opened its doors to the public.
Described as a once in a generation opportunity, the arrival of the single malt distillery to the area officially marries together two of Scotland’s finest exports, golf and whisky, and is the only lowland spirit whisky distillery in the St Andrews area.
Director William Wemyss and distillery founder Douglas Clement marked the launch of the new venture on St Andrew’s Day with an official plaque unveiling on Monday, attended by industry leaders, close friends and family.
Speaking on behalf of the Wemyss family, the director said: “Since we bought the Kingsbarns project in 2013 it has been a very exciting year for us.
“Building a whisky distillery is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and we are looking forward to playing our part in bringing a reinvigoration to the kingdom of Fife.”
The Wemyss family, which already owns Wemyss Malts and has a historic link to the site dating from the mid 1700s, was supported by a European Food Processing and Marketing grant via the Scottish Government for £670,000.
Food Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “This will provide a fantastic added tourist attraction for the many thousands of golf lovers who flock to St Andrews each year.
“As well as creating jobs, it will also further enhance the area in terms of tourism activity, bringing whisky aficionados and golfers to this part of Fife.
“Our whisky is second to none and I have every confidence that Kingsbarns will enrich our reputation for exceptional whisky offerings even further.”
VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay said: “Whisky and golf are two of Scotland’s greatest gifts to the world, each playing a vital role in supporting our tourism industry.”