Moffat Distillery

About the distillery

Moffat Distillery is a Scottish distillery that has made wood-fired production its hallmark and also works with blending, bottling and cask ownership. The site opened its visitor centre in 2023 and began whisky production in February 2024. For the whisky enthusiast, it is especially interesting because the spirit is created over open wood fire, and because the distillery already offers both its own releases, special bottlings and a guided visit experience.

History

Moffat Distillery took shape in 2020, when the ambition to build Scotland’s first wood-fired distillery was set in motion. Long before anything came to bottled form, the team also worked with blending and bottling, which they say they have been doing since 2017. In 2023, the visitor centre opened, and the same year a 26-year-old Spey single malt was bottled on site. The next major step came in February 2024, when whisky production began. Since March of the same year, 34 casks have been filled, including 15 ex-Jack Daniels American Standard Barrels. In 2024, the first wood-fired Scotch casks were also made available to private owners, and in 2025 ARISE was launched as a whisky journey from new make to matured Scotch. The same year also saw Moffat Moonshine and the local blended malt, The Muckletoon, added to the portfolio.

Ingredients and production

The distillery uses an unusual heating method in whisky production: the copper wash still is heated by live flames from a log-wood fire. This is precisely the method they use to create what they describe as a more characterful spirit, because sugar and proteins are allowed to react through caramelisation and Maillard reactions. In practice, this means production is not governed by automatic dials or precise temperature controls, but by fire, spirit and time. The team also describes that they deliberately accept a lower yield in order to get more flavour into the spirit. In their cask programme, they offer private ownership, filling of your own casks, and the opportunity to follow the cask through maturation with annual visits and tastings.

Maturation and cask types

Maturation is closely linked to cask type. The distillery, among other things, works with first fill ex-Jack Daniels Whiskey American Standard Barrels, which they expect will deliver vanilla, caramel and cream, and they assess that the spirit in these casks can mature for around five to seven years. They also use ex-Oloroso sherry casks for Moffat Moonshine, where the spirit has been laid down for seven months and gained a golden colour and more complexity. For the 26-year-old Spey single malt, a bourbon hogshead was used, and it was bottled without filtration at cask strength. The distillery also mentions the possibility of up to 10 years’ storage and maturation for private casks.

Whiskies

The range runs from the local blended malt The Muckletoon to the Auld Special Edition series, which was developed for a small number of single casks and includes both blended malts and single malt. In addition, there is a 26-year-old Spey single malt bottled on site, and the newer Moffat Moonshine, which sits in the space between spirit and whisky storytelling. Overall, the selection shows a distillery that works with local special releases, older single casks and its own wood-fired spirit expressions. The common thread is small batches, clear cask influence, and a style where the destination is not a mass market, but rather special releases and cask experiences.

Whisky style and flavour profile

The flavour profile moves between fruit, spice and cask character. The Muckletoon is described as rich and spicy with baked plums and cinnamon pears. Moffat Moonshine leans towards raisins, baked plums, iced cinnamon buns, spiced candied apples, dried forest fruits, toasted almonds and malty sweetness. At the same time, they point to the ex-Jack Daniels American Standard Barrels for vanilla, caramel and cream, while the wood-fired distillation is supposed to provide a deeper and more characterful spirit.

Visit the distillery

Moffat Distillery can be visited, and tours with tastings are offered. The tour lasts about 75 minutes, and it is recommended to book in advance to avoid disappointment. In December, tours run at 2pm, and you must arrive 10–15 minutes before the start. The visit includes a tasting of three signature products, including blended malts and fruit whisky liqueurs. Children are welcome, and only service dogs may come into the process hall. Drivers can choose a 50 ml bottle of either blended malt Scotch, fruit whisky liqueur or wood-fired gin to take home.

The listed opening hours are: December tours are offered at 2pm. The tour lasts about 75 minutes.
See times and book a visit.

Philosophy and craftsmanship

The distillery places value on making whisky as something that is crafted rather than manufactured. They connect craftsmanship with open fire, slow production and a conscious choice to prioritise flavour and character over efficiency. At the same time, they use small batches and maintain a close relationship with guests and cask owners, so the experience doesn’t stop at the bottle, but continues through visits, cask filling and maturation.

Latest news

ARISE: A Whisky Journey Like No Other – 2025-03-24

Moffat Distillery launches ARISE as a whisky experience with three levels: Founding Torchbearer, Torchbearer Member and Apprentice. The concept follows the whisky from raw new make spirit to matured Scotch.

Moffat Moonshine: A Wild Spirit, Tamed – 2025-03-22

Moffat Moonshine is described as a small-batch spirit, matured for seven months in ex-Oloroso sherry casks and released in Cask Strength and Sipping Strength.

First Ever Casks of Wood Fired Scotch Now Available! – 2024-11-24

The distillery announced that the first of its own wood-fired Scotch casks were available, describing a first tranche of seven private casks with ex-Jack Daniels American Standard Barrels.

Scotland’s First Wood-Fired Distillery – 2023-01-20

The distillery explains what wood-fired means in distilling and links the method to its ambition to use open fire in whisky production.

2024 Stranraer Oyster Festival Blended Malt Scotch Whisky – 2024-10-06

For the third year in a row, the distillery created a blend for the Stranraer Oyster Festival and linked the release to the festival’s local food and city history.