Stauning Whisky Distillery

In 2015 Diageo's Distill Ventures accelerator was set to invest more than £10 million for a minority stake, and Diageo's David Gates joined the board.^3,6,7 The new distillery opened in August 2018, kept the floor maltings and small stills, added more stills instead of bigger ones, and preserved the farm's original stills.^2,4,9

In March 2025 Diageo finished a review of its venture investments, and Stauning regained its independence.^3,10 On 28 March 2025 Stauning laid off 13 of its 50 staff and halved production, then paused it, though co-founder Alex Munch said it would still make some alcohol.^3,7,11

Stauning mashes locally grown rye and barley, its rye is 100% malted, and it malts every grain on its own floor.^2,3,4 Its smoked malt uses only local peat from a nearby bog, and from time to time local heather.^1,4 The peat once came from the Klosterlund Museum.^1,4 Fermentation takes four days, which the distillery calls fairly long by Scottish standards.⁴ The fermented wash, much like beer, is distilled twice in copper pot stills, first in a wash still and then in a spirit still.⁴ Each still has its own gas burner rather than steam coils, and the distillery says direct fire adds character to the spirit.^2,4,5 The spirit matures in casks on the premises.¹²

Sources

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