The island of Benbecula in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides is noted for the beauty of its landscape, writes Michael Atkinson.
On the eastern side, lochs and lochans abound, providing a distinctly wild and rugged feel, on the western side, the beaches and machair (fertile low lying grassy plains) stretch out with the mesmerising backdrop of the expansive sea and sky.
It is an island rich in history with many tales to tell. In the late 18th century, Bonnie Prince Charlie, famously took refuge on the island after the Battle of Culloden before being smuggled off ‘over the sea to Skye’.
Today, in the north of the island, you will find the striking new Benbecula Distillery, opened in 2024.
It is the brainchild of Angus MacMillan, who was born and raised on South Uist (his mother from Benbecula and his father from South Uist) and where his family has lived for generations. He was one of the founding directors responsible for the South Uist, Eriskay and Benbecula historic community buyout in 2006.
In the mid 1980s, Angus founded West Minch Salmon which became a renowned Scottish salmon supplier, exporting around the world and a major employer for Benbecula and its surrounding islands.
Later owners of the company closed the island salmon processing plants, significantly impacting employment. Angus felt motivated to generate new employment opportunities to fill those that had gone.
Visiting the Highland Park Distillery in Orkney, walking underneath the archway that proudly proclaims its 1798 foundation, it struck Angus that scotch was an industry that, perhaps unlike others, had an extraordinary longevity to it and could deliver long term, sustainable employment, to a local area.
Back on his croft, reflecting on Benbecula’s sometimes gaelic reference as “Eilean an Eòrna” – the island of barley – Angus instinctively felt the island deserved a new distillery as ‘there’s the water, the barley, the people, the place . . . which together provides the core for the creation of a beautiful malt whisky’.
A distillery would work to sustain the land and the people of Benbecula, whilst producing a product which celebrated and showcased the history, heritage and beauty of this remote Outer Hebridean island.
Reviving a 130 year old recipe, discovered by Angus in the writings of the 19th century distilling historian Alfred Barnard, which will ultimately create a classic maritime malt, smoky on the nose with salty and sweat peated notes, plans for the distillery were first submitted in 2020 and in Spring 2024, the dream became a reality when the Distillery began production. A visitor centre and cafe opened in Spring 2025.
The construction transformed a former abandoned fish processing plant into a striking Distillery with a glass lighthouse-style extension which houses the copper stills. It creates a distinctive new landmark on the island’s rolling landscape.
It is providing local jobs across management, production and its visitor centre operations, as well as supporting the wider community.
The distillery also uses bere barley grown on local crofts (which has been grown on the island for centuries), fertilised with seaweed from the Benbecula shoreline, embedding a taste of the island into the future malt.
The team at Benbecula will revive the ancient and historic tradition of adding foraged island heather to their peat fires for kilning the bere barley. This malting process creates a smooth, gentle smokiness and sweet, floral character to the spirit.
The Distillery’s spirit is being overseen by the renowned Brendan McCarron, its Master Distiller, who brings his expertise from former roles at Glenmorangie, Deanston, Tobermory and Bunnahabhain.
Until the Distillery’s own single malt is deemed to be perfect for bottling, McCarron has curated a single malt, released as ‘Prophecy’, which is a showcase of the future style of Benbecula’s own malt.
The Distillery has also released a select number of private casks for sale, allowing people to acquire a small parcel of new make spirit, which captures the essence of this special part of Scotland.
Read more Whisky news here.
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