The Borders Distillery
The Borders Distillery in Hawick is the first Scotch whisky distillery in the Scottish Borders since 1837 — a gap of almost 180 years in a region with a rich but long-dormant distilling heritage. Founded by George Tait, Tony Roberts, Tim Carton, and John Fordyce, the distillery became operational in March 2018 and opened to the public on 1 May 2018. Classified as a Lowland single malt distillery by the Scotch Whisky Association, it occupies a site on Commercial Road in Hawick with a total production capacity of up to 1.6 million litres of pure alcohol per year.
The distillery is notable for its still configuration: two wash stills, two spirit stills, and — unusually — a Carter Head still made by Forsyths of Rothes, the last of which is used to produce William Kerrs Gin. The combination of a conventional pot still malt whisky operation with a Carter Head for gin production gives the distillery unusual versatility.
Tours
Available
On-site Shop
Open
Online Shop
Available
History
The Scottish Borders produced whisky for centuries but the last operating distillery closed in 1837, leaving the region without legal production for nearly two centuries. The founders of The Borders Distillery set out to revive that tradition, identifying Hawick — a historic market town in the heart of the Borders — as the ideal location.
Investment in the conversion and fitting of the Commercial Road site enabled the distillery to become operational in March 2018, with an immediate opening to the public the following May. The early years focused on building whisky stocks while gin production through the Carter Head still provided earlier cashflow.
In 2022 the distillery released WS:01 Borders Malt & Rye — an innovative bottling that signalled the maturity of the spirit programme and the distillery's willingness to explore beyond conventional Scotch expressions. The core Borders Single Malt continues to develop in the warehouses at Hawick, with the age and complexity of the spirit increasing as the programme matures.
The distillery also produces blended brands under the Clan Fraser label — Clan Fraser and Clan Fraser Reserve — and a blend called Lower East Side for the export market, demonstrating the range of the operation beyond premium single malt.
Production
The Borders Distillery operates two wash stills, two spirit stills, and one Carter Head still — the latter made by Forsyths of Rothes, the leading Scottish distillery equipment manufacturer. The Carter Head still, with its gin basket for botanical vapour infusion, is dedicated to the William Kerrs Gin programme. The whisky stills produce Lowland-classified single malt spirit. Water for production is drawn from the River Teviot, which flows through the Borders landscape surrounding Hawick. Operating at full capacity, the distillery can produce up to 1.6 million litres of pure alcohol per year.
Tasting Character
The Borders Single Malt is a Lowland-classified whisky, reflecting the lighter, more delicate style associated with the region. The clean Teviot water and conventional copper pot still distillation produce a fresh, accessible spirit that develops elegantly in cask. Early releases have shown fruit-forward character with vanilla, citrus, and gentle spice — a style suited to the approachable, welcoming identity the distillery has cultivated. The Carter Head gin, William Kerrs, reflects the distillery's Borders heritage in its botanical selection.
What They Produce
Notable Bottlings
- The Borders Single Malt — Core aged single malt expression
- WS:01 Borders Malt & Rye — Innovative 2022 release, malt and rye combination
- William Kerrs Gin — Carter Head distilled, Borders botanical gin
- Clan Fraser — Blended Scotch expression
- Clan Fraser Reserve — Premium blend variant
- Lower East Side — Export-market blended Scotch
Buy their whiskey
Browse our affiliate whisky retailers for The Borders Distillery and more.
The Whisky Barrel
The Whisky Shop
Loch Fyne Whiskies
Master of Malt
The Whisky Exchange
Digital Distiller
We earn a commission from purchases through these links at no cost to you. Affiliate disclosure
Visiting
The Borders Distillery visitor centre is on Commercial Road in Hawick and has been open to the public since 1 May 2018. Tours cover the full production process including the unusual three-still configuration. An online shop and physical distillery shop are available. For current tour times and prices, check thebordersdistillery.com.
Official Website
