GlenWyvis Distillery

John McKenzie developed the GlenWyvis concept in 2015, driven by a vision of returning whisky production to Dingwall — a town with a proud distilling heritage, its last distillery having closed in 1926 — while doing so through a model that would benefit the entire Highland community. The cooperative structure was unusual in the Scotch whisky industry: by issuing community shares at a relatively low minimum investment, McKenzie opened ownership to thousands of local and non-local supporters.

The distillery building was constructed on an uphill site near Dingwall. Production of both whisky and GoodWill Gin began in 2018 under Master Distiller Duncan Tait. In the first full year of operation (2018–19), the distillery produced 39,248 litres of whisky new make and 3,576 litres of gin. By September 2023, four gin expressions and two 4-year-old single malt expressions were available — the whisky range growing as the first casks matured.

GoodWill Gin won Best Newcomer at the Scottish Gin Awards in 2019 and took a Gold Medal at the World Gin Awards in 2020. The whisky programme is still young, with annual releases as the spirit reaches bottle-worthy maturity.

GlenWyvis operates 2 wash stills and 2 spirit stills. The distillery is powered entirely by renewable energy sources — hydro power from the adjacent stream, solar panels, wind power, and biomass chip heating — making it one of the most environmentally self-sufficient distilleries in Scotland. The water source is drawn from the Dingwall estate. The distillery produces both single malt Scotch whisky and gin, with GoodWill Gin already well-established in the market while the whisky matures.

GlenWyvis single malt is still relatively young and released in small batches as successive casks reach maturity. The 4-year-old expressions released from 2022 onwards show the early character of the spirit: fresh, cereal-forward, and lightly fruited, with the clarity typical of new make from small, well-maintained stills. GoodWill Gin uses local botanicals and is characterised by a fresh, clean juniper-forward profile with delicate herbal and floral notes from Highland botanicals. Specific tasting notes for the developing whisky range will deepen as the spirit gains age.

Tours and experiences available. Physical shop and online shop both available at glenwyvis.com. Address: Ben Wyvis Industrial Estate, Dingwall, Ross-shire IV15 9XH.