The Orkney Distillery launches Latitude 59 Club for Whisky enthusiasts

The Orkney Distillery is launching a special club - the first of its kind in the islands, if not Scotland - that gives whisky enthusiasts the opportunity to buy a share in the Kirkwall based company and get exclusive access to casks and bottlings of its historic new single malt.

Membership of The Latitude 59 club – the name reflects Orkney’s northerly position in the world - will be restricted to only 59. Each member will receive a share in the distillery and their own 100-litre cask of its single malt, fully paid and set to mature in 2030.

A host of other membership benefits are being offered, including rare bottlings, yearly cask tastings, special events, tours, Orcadian products, and an annual two-night stay in Orkney with distillery dinner.

Already famed for its award-winning Kirkjuvagr gin range, The Orkney Distillery was granted a licence for whisky production in September 2023.

The first spirit flowed on 27 March last year - International Whisky Day – and the company has been producing several 50-litre barrels a week from its small pilot stills. Full-scale production from new, larger stills, is set to get underway in March of this year, with the first casks going to the Latitude Club members, including Cask Number One.

Stephen Kemp, managing director of The Orkney Distillery, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be at the vanguard of this exciting new era of whisky production in Orkney and wanted to create something a bit special for the real whisky connoisseurs, and lovers of our islands, who are keenly anticipating the maturation of our single malt.

“The Latitude 59 Club is unique for Orkney in terms of the opportunity and experience it offers. As shareholders in The Orkney Distillery, club members will be part of the first whisky distillery to be created in Orkney for almost 140 years and will receive a bottle, from our casks maturing in 2027, of the first new single malt to emerge from the islands in that time.

“Most significantly, they’ll have their own fully paid 100-litre cask of single malt whisky, to be made in the spring of this year, maturing in 2030, which should produce over 120 70cl bottles at cask strength. The membership fee will include all storage, personalised bottling and any incidental costs, together with all taxes and charges, so it’s a rare opportunity to own a piece of history!”

Stephen added: “Places in the club are going to be limited to the first 59 subscribers and we’re already receiving a lot of interest, so we’d urge anyone who’d like to be part of this unique new Orcadian experience to get in touch as soon as possible.”

Full details of membership benefits and costs are available on The Orkney Distillery website. You can also register interest on the site, or email Magnus@Orkneydistilling.com.