A former village retailer is about to be transformed right into a micro-distillery and customer centre.
Jeff and Jessica Simpson are in search of planning consent for the event within the former Auldgirth store and submit workplace.
The couple operated a facility administration firm for 12 years however as a result of issues attributable to the Covid-19 pandemic they determined to embark on a brand new enterprise.
Jeff, 52, instructed the Normal: “We goal to create a micro-distillery that can produce small batch single malt whisky, gin and vodka, offering a customer centre and tasting room for locals and vacationers to avail.
“Our proposals have been effectively acquired by locals who've been extraordinarily happy that the business utilization was being
continued.”
Jeff and Jessica,42, are each captivated with whisky and imagine it to be a superb enterprise concept.
“It's one thing we each like and we have now nothing to lose so why not begin one thing totally different?” stated Jeff.
The couple have loved holidays within the area and have been eager on the thought of a transfer.
He added: “We bought our home in Aberdeenshire and appeared for one more home which had the potential to permit us to begin a facility on the identical web site.”
The couple have been in contact with Dumfries and Galloway Council concerning the proposal.
Jeff stated: “We nonetheless have just a few extra queries and particulars to fill however fingers crossed that they'll look upon it favourably.”
Jessica added: “We now have by no means achieved something like this earlier than however for certainly one of Jeff’s birthdays we purchased a small barrel.
“What got here out of it was an unbelievable whisky so we all know we are able to do it.
“We had a recipe and simply wanted to scale it up.”
They're hoping to open the Ben Cumhail Distillery to the general public by subsequent summer season.
The identify comes from an amalgamation of the names of the Irish big Fionn mac Cumhaill and Scottish big Benandonner that fought throughout the Irish sea creating the Giants Causeway in Northern Eire.
Jeff stated: “This made us smile as my spouse is Irish and I'm Scottish.
“We now have heated discussions commonly whereas discovering a plan of action to pursue however often, that is the bedrock of some superb choices.”
The distillery will goal to supply single-cask whisky the place every batch will encompass 70-150
bottles.
Jeff added: “It is not going to be bought within the supermarkets both as you'll solely have the ability to buy it on-line or at our future distillery.”