(Image: Archive)
ALL jobs have been lost after a Scotch whisky distillery, thought to be the first community-owned distillery in the world, was forced to call in administrators.
Three people have been made redundant at GlenWyvis Distillery Limited in Dingwall, and distilling of both whisky and gin has ceased, administrators from Interpath said.
Founded in 2015, the GlenWyvis Distillery Limited had been run as a Community Benefit Society (CBS) and was backed by around 4000 members – reportedly making it the UK’s largest CBS by membership.
The CBS is set to secure its own whisky stocks and distillery equipment ahead of any sale of assets.
Any owners of private casks will be contacted in the coming days, Interpath said.
The administrators – Alistair McAlinden and Geoff Jacobs from Interpath – further said that the CBS had faced a “prolonged period of financial pressure”, including challenging conditions across the whisky market, increased operating costs, and ongoing external pressures.
McAlinden said: “These are challenging times for Scotland’s whisky industry. We are aware of many independent producers up and down the country who are battling hard to keep their head above water in the face of rising costs, as well as oversupply and working capital strain from long maturation cycles which have coincided with a global cost of living crisis and changing drinking trends among younger generations.
“For GlenWyvis, the lack of future funding available has meant that there was no option but to appoint administrators.
“With funding exhausted, there will be no distilling of whisky or gin while we look to explore how best to maximise realisations from the assets of the society. We would ask all potential interested parties to contact us as a matter of urgency. Enquiries regarding the assets of the society should be sent to: glenwyvis@interpath.com.
“We understand that a significant number of members and customers own private casks held through the society and that the position of those casks will be an immediate concern. Further information will follow to confirm arrangements for those parties and their casks.”
The distillery had issued a warning about its future in August, saying that the CBS needed "significant new investment to secure its future".
Since its founding in 2015, GlenWyvis Distillery has donated money to various cultural, educational and entrepreneurial projects in the Dingwall area, including £30,000 between local primary schools, the Dingwall Museum, and the Dingwall Gaelic Choir.