GlenWyvis Distillery

What GlenWyvis Distillery does

GlenWyvis Distillery is a community-owned spirits producer established in 2015 in Dingwall, Scottish Highlands, operating as the world's first 100% Community Benefit Society under UK cooperative legislation. The company produces Highland single malt Scotch whisky and craft gin using traditional Scottish distilling techniques - squat pot stills (2500L wash still, 1700L spirit still), long fermentation cycles of 96-120 hours, locally grown and malted Concerto and Laureate barley, and water from an onsite borehole. Operations are powered entirely by renewable energy sources including a wind turbine, hydro, solar panels, and a biomass steam boiler fueled by locally sourced wood chips. Maturation takes place in traditional dunnage warehouses using a diverse cask portfolio (Bourbon, Sherry, Sauternes, Madeira, Port, Rum, and red wine casks), with current stock exceeding 1,550 casks and 222,000 litres of absolute alcohol distilled since inception.

The business operates across multiple revenue streams. Direct spirits sales include whisky batch releases, single cask expressions, the Highland Legacy Series (The Drover, Baineach The Weaveress), and a GoodWill Gin range with seasonal and charity-linked variants, distributed through an in-house e-commerce store and 50+ stockists across Scotland, England, Germany, Netherlands, Japan, Taiwan, Spain, and Greece. A cask ownership programme allows customers to purchase new-make spirit casks (£3,850-£5,500) for personal maturation up to 10 years. Community investment is the defining capital structure: 3,796 members hold shares starting at £50 each (£250 minimum), with Series D and E Loan Notes offered at 6.25-6.5% annual interest over 5-10 year terms. The GoodWill Fund allocates 5% of online sales to local community initiatives (over £50,000 generated to date).

Customers span four segments: community member-investors with governance rights and purchase discounts, whisky enthusiasts and collectors seeking limited releases, cask investors, and local Ross-shire community organisations receiving charitable grants. The distillery was non-operational for over a year due to a landlord electricity dispute but has secured £500,000 in Catalyst Fund investment (Feb 2026) to resume operations. Headcount is 11-50 employees led by Distillery Manager Craig MacRitchie, with a volunteer board of directors providing governance oversight.

Name

GlenWyvis Distillery

Legal name

GlenWyvis

Website

https://glenwyvis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GlenWyvis Distillery is a Scottish Highlands whisky and gin producer operating as the world's first 100% community-owned distillery, serving 3,796 member-investors and global retail stockists through renewable-energy-powered craft spirits and cask ownership programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scotch Whisky and Craft Gin Distillery

NAICS

Distilleries (312140)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF)

Keywords

• Single malt whisky
• Craft gin distilling
• Cask ownership programme
• Community-owned distillery
• Renewable energy distilling

Headquarters

HQ city

Dingwall

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Spirits Sales: Direct sales of whisky and gin products through online shop and stockist network. Products include single malt whisky batches, Highland Legacy Series, single cask releases, GoodWill Gin, and cask-matured variants. Pricing ranges from £4.95 (5cl gin) to £89.95 (single cask).
2. Cask Ownership Programme: Customers purchase casks of new make spirit to be matured for up to 10 years in GlenWyvis warehouses. Available cask types range from £3,850 (2nd fill barrel) to £5,500 (1st fill sherry hogshead). Small casks (55 litre firkins, 125-140 litre quarters) also available.
3. Community Shares and Bonds: Community membership requires minimum £250 investment (5 shares at £50 each). Bond offers provide fixed interest rates (Series D: 6.25% over 5-7 years, Series E: 6.5% over 8-10 years) with 6-monthly interest payments.
4. GoodWill Fund Community Contributions: 5% of all online sales contributed to GoodWill Fund supporting local community projects in education, culture, and entrepreneurship. £20,000 distributed in 2024 grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GlenWyvis Distillery produces Highland single malt Scotch whisky and craft gin in Dingwall, Scottish Highlands, using locally grown barley, onsite borehole water, and 100% renewable energy. The distillery operates a cask ownership programme allowing customers to purchase and age their own whisky in traditional dunnage warehouses, alongside a community-owned investment model through Community Benefit Society share and bond offerings.

Product overview

GlenWyvis Distillery is the world's first wholly community-owned distillery, established in 2015 in Dingwall, Scottish Highlands. The product portfolio centers on two core spirits: single malt whisky and gin. Whisky offerings include batch releases (Batch 01/19, Batch 02/18), limited edition single cask expressions, and the Highland Legacy Series (launched 2025 with The Drover and Baineach The Weaveress). Gin products feature the core GoodWill Premium Scottish Craft Gin (40% ABV), cask-matured GoodWill Quercus Robur Gin (43% ABV), and seasonal/charity limited editions including Christmas Spiced Gin, Floral Collection Gin, Highland Hospice Machu Picchu Trek Gin, Scotland the Wave Gin, and Mother's Day Gin. Beyond spirits, the company offers cask ownership programmes for investment (various cask types from £3,850-£5,500), community investment opportunities through share/bond offerings, and charitable funds (GoodWill Fund at 5% of online sales and Environmental Fund in partnership with SEPA). The distillery also sells merchandise including Dramtubes tasting sets and Herring Girl Collection accessories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GoodWill Gin: Premium Scottish Highland craft gin distilled using nine premium botanicals, including handpicked hawthorn berries from a neighbouring farm. Includes variants like Quercus Robur (cask matured), Christmas Spiced Gin, Floral Collection Gin, and Mother's Day Gin.
• Highland Legacy Series
• The Drover
• Baineach the Weaveress
• Highland Hospice Machu Picchu Trek Gin
• Scotland the Wave Gin

Products and services

• Highland Legacy Series 2: Baineach The Weaveress Limited edition single malt whisky honoring women of the Scottish Highlands as craftswomen. Matured in Ruby Port and Refill Oloroso Sherry casks, featuring original artwork by Fiona Mackenzie and wrapped in GlenWyvis tartan. Aimed at whisky enthusiasts and collectors.
• Highland Legacy Series 1: The Drover First release in Highland Legacy Series inspired by cattle drovers of Highland life. Limited to 3,000 bottles. Matured in Sauternes, Madeira, Bourbon and Oloroso casks. Targeted at whisky enthusiasts and collectors.
• UK Exclusive Single Cask 70cl UK Exclusive single cask bottling. First Fill Sherry Hogshead. 316 bottles at 60.6% ABV. Targeted at whisky collectors and enthusiasts.
• GlenWyvis Single Malt Whisky Batch 01/19 First release from an exceptionally rare 2019 vintage. Uses Concerto and Laureate barley fermented for 120 hours. Matured in red wine, Moscatel and Marsala casks. 46.5% ABV. Targeted at whisky enthusiasts.
• GlenWyvis Single Malt Whisky Batch 02/18 Second release from 2018 vintage. First major bottling. Made from Concerto barley fermented 96 hours. Matured in Tennessee Whisky barrels, Oloroso hogsheads and refilled Scotch whisky hogsheads. 46.5% ABV. Targeted at whisky enthusiasts.
• GlenWyvis New Make Spirit Raw GlenWyvis spirit at 63.5% ABV before cask maturation. Made from locally grown, locally malted barley and water from onsite borehole. Fragrant, fruity, malty and spicy with long spicy finish. 20cl bottle. Targeted at whisky enthusiasts and collectors.
• GoodWill Premium Scottish Craft Gin Highland premium craft gin distilled using nine premium botanicals including handpicked hawthorn berries from neighbouring farm. Distinct refreshing citrus burst with delicate spiced finish. 40% ABV. Available in 5cl, 20cl and 70cl sizes. Targeted at gin consumers and gift buyers.
• GoodWill Quercus Robur Gin Cask matured limited edition gin aged in First Fill Oloroso Sherry Hogshead (European oak). Rich fruit flavours from oak maturation complement nine botanicals. Unfiltered. 43% ABV. 50cl. Targeted at gin enthusiasts and gift buyers.
• Christmas GoodWill Spiced Gin Limited edition spiced gin aged in mix of sherry first fill and refill hogsheads. Gold medal winning. Seasonal flavours of cinnamon and rich dried fruits. 46% ABV. 50cl. Targeted at gin consumers and gift buyers.
• Floral Collection Gin Limited edition gin handcrafted in partnership with North Scotland Garden Show. Distilled with Jasmine, Rose, and Hibiscus. Proceeds help the event grow. Targeted at gin consumers and collectors.
• Highland Hospice Machu Picchu Trek Gin Unique gin created to support Highland Hospice services. Proportion of profits donated directly. Inspired by Machu Picchu expedition. Features South American botanicals including camu camu, Tonka beans and inca berries. Only 450 bottles available. Targeted at gin consumers and charity supporters.
• Scotland the Wave Gin Crafted in support of Scotland The Wave, the pioneering all-female Scottish rowing team crossing the Atlantic. Vibrant purple gin with fragrant lemon notes. Portion of proceeds supports the team's journey. Targeted at gin consumers and charity supporters.
• GlenWyvis Mother's Day Gin Limited edition gin released for Mother's Day. Crafted in the Highlands with locally sourced botanicals. Targeted at gift buyers and gin consumers.
• GlenWyvis Dramtubes Tasting Set Set of six GlenWyvis drams including two gins and four whiskies: GoodWill Gin, Christmas Spiced Gin, Batch 02/18, Batch 01/19, Highland Legacy Series 1: The Drover, Oloroso Sherry Single Cask #59. Priced at £35.00. Targeted at whisky enthusiasts and gift buyers.
• Cask Ownership Programme Own a cask of GlenWyvis Whisky. New Make Spirit produced from locally grown, locally malted barley and water from onsite borehole. Various cask types available including 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel (£4,250), New American Oak Barrel (£4,350), 1st Fill Sherry Hogshead (£5,500), 1st Fill Madeira Barrique (£5,100), 1st Fill Port Barrique (£5,225), 2nd Fill GlenWyvis Barrel (£3,850). Casks matured for up to 10 years in dunnage warehouse. Targeted at whisky cask investors and collectors.
• Community Investment Opportunities Community ownership through Community Benefit Society. Minimum investment £250 (5 shares of £50). Members receive 20% discount on all products, eligibility for fundraising bond offers. Shareholder rewards include exclusive cask-matured gin and single cask whisky at various investment levels. Series D/E Loan Notes available at 6.25-6.5% annual interest. Targeted at community investors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £50,000 generated for local community through GoodWill Fund
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• North Scotland Garden ShowminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership to create Floral Collection Gin. Distilled with Jasmine, Rose, and Hibiscus. Proceeds help the event grow. Limited edition release.
• Highland HospiceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Partnership to support Highland Hospice essential services. Created Highland Hospice Machu Picchu Trek Gin with South American botanicals. Proportion of profits donated directly to Hospice. Limited to 450 bottles.
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Joint Environmental Fund launched in partnership with SEPA. Part of Enforcement Undertaking agreement for historical discharge issue during construction. Grants of up to £2,500 available to Ross-shire communities for environmental projects.
• Scotland The WaveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with first all-female Scottish rowing team attempting Atlantic crossing (World's Toughest Row). Created bespoke limited-edition GoodWill Gin. Portion of proceeds supports team and their chosen charities (Breast Cancer UK, Scottish Charity Air Ambulance, RNLI).
• Fiona Mackenzie (Artist)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Local artist from Gairloch commissioned to design label artwork for Highland Legacy Series. Created unique designs reflecting Highland heritage and traditional occupations. Original artwork featured on The Drover and Baineach releases.
• Prickly Thistle (Tartan Designer)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Created GlenWyvis tartan featured on Highland Legacy Series 2: Baineach The Weaveress packaging. Supports local Scottish craftsmanship.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Holyrood Distillery: Small Edinburgh-based craft distillery producing both whisky and gin with a strong locality/heritage narrative and limited annual release volumes. Comparable in scale, single-batch model, and capital-light Scottish craft positioning.
• Isle of Harris Distillery: Community-supported Scottish island distillery producing gin and whisky with a strong social-impact and provenance story. Comparable in mission, gin-plus-whisky product mix, and use of the distillery as a community regeneration anchor.
• Nc'nean Distillery: Small organic Highland craft distillery founded in 2017 with strong sustainability positioning and a comparable DTC/community-supported model. Closely comparable in size, sustainability narrative, and stage to GlenWyvis.
• Torabhaig Distillery: Crowdfunded new Highland single malt distillery on Skye that raised community capital and focuses on legacy/heritage storytelling. Closely comparable funding model and product positioning to GlenWyvis.
• Edradour Distillery: One of Scotland's smallest traditional hand-crafted Highland distilleries, producing single malt and gin in small batches. Highly comparable size, batch-release model, and craft Highland positioning.
• Ardnamurchan Distillery (Adelphi): Small Highland coastal distillery operated by independent bottler Adelphi with sustainability-driven operations. Comparable in scale, provenance-led marketing, and craft Highland single malt positioning.

Emerging players

• Brora Distillery: Recently reopened Highland distillery operated by Diageo, reviving a lost 1960s-1980s heritage similar to GlenWyvis's Dingwall revival narrative. Comparable story of returning to a town without recent distilling tradition.
• Teeling Whiskey Distillery: Independent Dublin distillery known for community engagement, distillery-tourism investment, and a sustainability-friendly craft spirit positioning. Comparable in narrative around urban regeneration and DTC-led growth.

Others

• Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky: Independent bottler and cask ownership specialist that competes with GlenWyvis in the cask-to-customer investment space. Relevant comparator for cask ownership programme economics.

Broad incumbents

• Tomatin Distillery: Established Highland single malt producer of comparable size to GlenWyvis, with a broader portfolio and international distribution. Useful benchmark for scaled Highland single malt economics (and a former employer of GlenWyvis's International Sales Manager).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/glenwyvis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/glenwyvis-distillery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

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 GlenWyvis Distillery