Moray SNP News

TIME TO OPEN A NEW CHAPTER FOR DALLAS DHU WHISKY DISTILLERY

Richard Lochhead MSP sought an update from the Scottish Government on its plans for the Dallas Dhu, urging the Cabinet Secretary to work with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to ensure that in 2018 a new chapter can be opened in the story of the historic distillery.

In response to Mr Lochhead’s question the Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, agreed to hold talks with Historic Environment Scotland, in whose care the site belongs, on the future of the distillery.

Mr Lochhead, who has been pushing for the distillery to be brought back into production since 2015, and for other uses to be explored given the potential benefits investment in the distillery could bring to tourism, the local community and economy.

Moray’s MSP called for Dallas Dhu to be the location for a National Centre of Whisky Excellence after a meeting with the Chief Executive of Historic Environment Scotland in June last year and has since been contacted by various parties offering to work in partnership with HES to help the site reach its full potential. Mr Lochhead has shared the ideas presented to him with HES.

Richard Lochhead MSP said:

“Dallas Dhu is wonderfully unique in that it is Scotland’s only historic distillery and it is a site that has a huge amount of potential not only to restart production of a famous whisky but to play wider roles in the Scotch whisky sector. Indeed, I have had exciting and creative ideas suggested by very serious players in the industry and they deserve to be explored. 

“Following my meeting with the Chief Executive of Historic Environment Scotland last summer, I was given assurances that a plan would be put in place for the distillery’s future and I want to make sure that those who have exciting and innovative ideas for Dallas Dhu are seriously considered.

“As the Culture Secretary acknowledged, I’ve been pushing for the distillery to be brought back into activity for some time now and I’ve urged Ministers to make this year, the year that Dallas Dhu finally get to open a new and exciting chapter in its remarkable story. 

“I’ve said before that with Moray being home to over half of the whisky produced in Scotland we really should have a National Centre of Whisky Excellence located here and Dallas Dhu has the potential to be ideal location.  There’s so much that could be done with the distillery and if Historic Environment Scotland tapped into its massive potential, it would be a real boost for tourism, the local community and the economy.

“I welcome the commitment given by Fiona Hyslop to hold talks with Historic Environment Scotland and hope that her intervention can lead to some progress with exciting and creative plans for this landmark distillery.”

Richard Lochhead raised this issue with the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs at Portfolio Questions in the Scottish Parliament.

You can read their exchange here: 

 http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=11297&i=102802#ScotParlOR