Eat Drink Hebrides - North Uist Distillery

About

​​​​​North Uist Distillery was founded in 2019 by Jonny and Kate, a local couple who returned to the island on which they’d grown up with the aim of starting a distillery that would showcase Uist’s outstanding natural ingredients and provide local employment.

The distillery now employs over a dozen people and every aspect of production - from the selecting of ingredients to the bottling and packaging - is done in-house. With locally foraged and bartered ingredients, Downpour gin has made an assured name for itself with its bold flavour and design, leading to a host of prestigious awards including Dry Gin Of the Year at the 2024 Scottish Gin Awards, Spirit of the Year at the London Spirits Competition 2023, and Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Scottish Gin Awards.

North Uist Distillery will began grain to glass whisky production in 2024 using locally grown heritage bere barley, distilled and bottled at their historic island home at Nunton Steadings in Benbecula which also houses their visitor centre. Daily tours and tastings run throughout the summer months, and the Downpour shop and Island Life Bar are open for bottles, refills, merch, and more. 

North Uist Distillery became B Corp Certified in 2023, joining the global community of B Corporations working towards the highest standards of ethical, sustainable, and transparent practices.