Dunnet Bay Distillers

What Dunnet Bay Distillers does

Dunnet Bay Distillers Ltd is a Scottish craft distillery founded in 2014 in Dunnet, Caithness, near the northernmost point of mainland Britain. The company produces a portfolio of premium handcrafted spirits — Rock Rose Gin, Holy Grass Vodka, and Mapmaker's Coastal Spiced Rum — using locally foraged Highland botanicals sourced from the Pentland Firth cliffs (sea buckthorn, Rhodiola rosea, kelp), Dunnet Forest (juniper), the Thurso River banks (Holy Grass), and the distillery garden. Distillation is performed on two bespoke copper pot stills named Elizabeth and Margaret using vapour infusion techniques for botanical extraction. The product range extends across signature editions (Navy Strength, Smoked Orange, Pink Grapefruit Old Tom, Citrus Coastal), seasonal editions (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter), and cask-finished variants (Rioja, Bourbon, Apple, Cold Brew Coffee).

The business is multi-channel and direct-to-consumer. Spirit sales are conducted through the company's own e-commerce website (87 SKUs, free UK delivery over £65) and at a 5-Star Visit Scotland visitor centre along the North Coast 500 route. Recurring revenue is generated through the Refill Rewards Club subscription at £35 per box delivered on monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly cadences, with members receiving mixers, snacks, loyalty points, and access to exclusive guest pouches in eco-friendly refill formats. Event-driven revenue comes from distillery tours (Express £15, Premium £22) and seasonal Cocktail Workshops (£30). Bottles are priced at £39.50 for standard SKUs and £47.50 for Navy Strength, with miniatures and gift sets/hampers extending the range.

The company is founder/family-owned and operated, with headcount in the 1–10 range. In November 2022 it secured up to £180,200 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) as a grant to fund a new bottling plant, warehouse, and destination whisky distillery near Castletown Mill — the company's most significant capital event and a move that would extend the portfolio into whisky as a fourth core spirit category. The business has earned 5-Star Visit Scotland Visitor Centre status, Gin Tourist Destination of the Year 2022, and Green Tourism Gold Award 2023.

Name

Dunnet Bay Distillers

Legal name

Dunnet Bay Distillers Ltd

Website

https://dunnetbaydistillers.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Scottish craft distillery in Caithness producing gin, vodka, and rum from locally foraged Highland botanicals, serving individual consumers, tourists on the North Coast 500, and subscription members through direct-to-consumer e-commerce, a refill subscription club, and on-site distillery tours.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Spirits

NAICS

Distilleries (312140), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC), Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF)

Keywords

• Craft gin distillery
• Artisanal vodka production
• Highland spirits
• Distillery visitor experiences
• Spirit subscription service

Headquarters

HQ city

Thurso

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Spirit Sales: Direct sales of handcrafted gin, vodka, and rum products through e-commerce and distillery visitor centre. Includes core range, seasonal editions, and limited editions. Products available in full bottles, miniatures, and refill pouches.
2. Refill Rewards Club Subscription: Subscription service delivering spirits every 1, 2, or 3 months for £35 per box. Includes free delivery, exclusive perks, mixers, snacks, and access to limited edition guest pouches. Flexible frequency and flavour switching.
3. Distillery Tours and Experiences: Revenue from Express Tours (£15), Premium Tours (£22), Cocktail Workshops (£30), and bespoke group experiences including chocolate and cocktail making workshops, distilling courses, corporate events, and private celebrations.
4. Gift Products: Sales of gift sets, hampers, gift vouchers, and certificates including Refill Rewards Club gift memberships (3, 6, or 12-month plans).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Dunnet Bay Distillers is a Scottish craft distillery that produces and sells handcrafted gin, vodka, and rum made from locally foraged Highland botanicals using bespoke copper pot stills. The company sells directly to consumers via an e-commerce website and a 5-star visitor centre, runs a recurring Refill Rewards Club subscription delivering spirits in eco-friendly refill pouches, and generates experience revenue through paid distillery tours and cocktail workshops.

Product overview

Dunnet Bay Distillers is a Scottish craft distillery producing a portfolio of spirits centered on three core products: Rock Rose Gin, Holy Grass Vodka, and Mapmaker's Coastal Spiced Rum. The portfolio extends through multiple sub-brands including seasonal editions (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter), signature spirits (Navy Strength, Smoked Orange, Pink Grapefruit Old Tom, Citrus Coastal), and special cask-finished editions (Rioja, Bourbon, Apple, Cold Brew Coffee). The company operates a Refill Rewards Club subscription service providing eco-friendly pouch deliveries with mixers and treats, and offers visitor experiences through distillery tours (Express, Premium, Cocktail Workshops). All products are crafted using local Caithness botanicals sourced from the Pentland Firth cliffs, Dunnet Forest, and the distillery garden, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rock Rose Gin: Flagship gin brand featuring various editions including Original, Navy Strength, Smoked Orange, Pink Grapefruit Old Tom, Citrus Coastal Edition, and seasonal editions (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter).
• Holy Grass Vodka
• Mapmaker's Rum
• Refill Rewards Club

Products and services

• Rock Rose Gin

Quantifiable outcome

• 5-star customer ratings with 4.97-5.00 out of 5 across products and subscription service
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Shore SeaweedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupplier of locally foraged kelp used in the production of Rock Rose Gin Citrus Coastal Edition, providing oceanic umami flavour profile.
• Hebridean Mustard CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupplier of liquorice salt (salt blended with pure liquorice root and aniseed) used in Rock Rose Gin Citrus Coastal Edition, providing hint of salinity. Note: sourced from a factory which handles mustard.
• Black Isle BerriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupplier of Highland apple juice from near Inverness, used in Holy Grass Vodka production to complement the sweeter vanilla notes of the Holy Grass botanical.
• Blackthorn (Scottish Sea Salt)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupplier of Scottish West Coast sea salt created using graduation thorn tower and West Coast wind evaporation. Used in Mapmaker's Coastal Spiced Rum to add subtle salinity and enhance coastal character.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tarquin's Gin (Southwestern Distillery): Cornish craft gin distillery with botanical-led recipes, signature editions, and a destination visitor/tour experience — closely comparable craft gin + tourism model in a UK remote location.
• Strathearn Distillery: Small Scottish craft distillery producing gin, vodka, rum, and whisky at artisanal scale — directly comparable multi-spirit craft portfolio and small-batch positioning.
• Pickering's Gin: Edinburgh-based craft distillery producing small-batch gin with botanical-led recipes and on-site tours and tastings — comparable small Scottish craft gin producer with destination experience.
• Edinburgh Gin: Established Scottish craft gin brand operating its own distillery and visitor centre in Edinburgh with a portfolio of seasonal and signature editions — directly comparable craft gin, DTC, and tourism model.
• Shetland Reel Gin: Small Scottish island craft gin distillery with botanical provenance story and limited editions — directly comparable micro-distillery scale and local-ingredient narrative.
• Isle of Arran Distillers: Small Scottish island distillery producing malt whisky, gin, and other spirits with a strong visitor-centre and tourism model — directly comparable destination-distillery expansion path as Dunnet Bay enters whisky.
• Isle of Harris Distillers: Scottish island/craft distillery producing gin (Harris Gin) and Scotch whisky with a strong destination-tourism and visitor-centre model — closely comparable to Dunnet Bay's gin + tourism + subscription positioning at similar small-batch scale.

Broad incumbents

• Caorunn Gin: Established Scottish craft gin brand (owned by Inver House) using hand-foraged Highland botanicals — broader incumbent with overlapping botanical-provenance story but wider distribution and parent-company backing.
• Sipsmith: London-based craft gin pioneer now owned by Beam Suntory — comparable craft gin brand with on-site tours, subscription/loyalty mechanics, and premium positioning, but operating at much larger scale.
• Hendrick's Gin: William Grant & Sons-owned premium gin with unusual botanical infusion (cucumber, rose) and strong destination distillery experience at Girvan — comparable botanical-led premium positioning at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dunnet-bay-distillers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dunnet Bay Distillers