Machrihanish Distillery: Dhurrie Farm, Plans and Campbeltown Whisky Guide
Machrihanish Distillery is a proposed farm-to-bottle whisky maker near Campbeltown, planned by the company behind the Isle of Raasay Distillery. It occupies Dhurrie Farm in Machrihanish and aims to combine locally grown barley, renewable energy and a future visitor centre. The project website still describes the distillery as coming soon in October 2026. There is no confirmed mature Machrihanish single malt on general release.
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The Machrihanish Distillery at a glance
Quick fact | The Machrihanish Distillery |
|---|---|
Location | Dhurrie Farm, Machrihanish, near Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute |
Owner | R&B Distillers |
Founders associated with R&B | Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day |
Site acquired | 2021 |
Planning permission | Granted in April 2024 |
Proposed style | Predominantly unpeated Campbeltown single malt, according to project announcements |
Own mature whisky released? | No verified Machrihanish distillery release as of October 2026 |
Visitor centre | Planned, not confirmed open |
Official website | machrihanishdistillery.com |
Last checked 25 October 2026. Planned releases and visitor information are date-sensitive.
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Where is The Machrihanish Distillery?
The proposed distillery is at Dhurrie Farm, an existing farmstead at Machrihanish on the Kintyre peninsula, a short journey west of Campbeltown. R&B Distillers acquired the site in 2021. Some research handovers call the location Dalaruan Farm, but multiple contemporary planning and trade reports identify Dhurrie Farm. Whisky Clan uses that sourced site name pending any later official address update.
The site is separate from Witchburn, another distillery project near the former Machrihanish airbase, and separate from the three long-standing operating Campbeltown malt distilleries.
The Machrihanish Distillery history and development
R&B Distillers, founded by Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day, developed the Isle of Raasay Distillery before turning to Campbeltown. The company acquired Dhurrie Farm in 2021, announcing plans in 2022 to make a new regional single malt and return whisky production to the rural farmland around Machrihanish.
The local planning process progressed until Argyll and Bute Council granted permission in April 2024. Later announcements envisaged construction and commissioning work, alongside a new visitor experience, but schedules have changed since the earliest projections.
The official project website still says Coming soon as of 25 October 2026. That wording is more reliable than an old projected production date. Whisky Clan does not treat a planned inauguration, artist's impression or a cask reservation offer as proof that mature whisky has been released.
Who owns the distillery and who is behind it?
The Machrihanish Distillery is a trading name of R&B Distillers Limited, the company associated with founders Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day. The same group owns and developed Isle of Raasay Distillery.
The project is positioned as a second characterful single malt alongside Raasay, not a replacement for it. Its farm location, farming approach and cask plans provide a deliberately different direction within the group's portfolio.
How The Machrihanish Distillery makes or plans to make whisky
Machrihanish is intended to be a farm-to-bottle distillery, using locally farmed barley and a development plan designed to reduce fossil fuel dependence. The project has described renewable energy, efficient heat use and site water supplies as part of its intended sustainable operating model. These are design objectives, not independently verified emissions results for a fully commissioned distillery.
Announcements associated with the 2024 permission say the planned spirit would be predominantly unpeated and matured in sherry-seasoned wood. Whisky Clan treats those details as the proposed style rather than confirmed specifications of bottles available today.
The Machrihanish Distillery whisky bottles and expression comparison
As of October 2026 the official site promotes future cask access and inaugural-bottling opportunities, but does not list a mature Machrihanish single malt release to review.
Bottle or expression | What is confirmed |
|---|---|
Machrihanish inaugural single malt | Proposed future release. There is no confirmed age statement, ABV or saleable whisky bottle yet. |
Future special or exclusive bottles | The official project invites visitors to sign up for future access. Editions and bottling details remain unconfirmed. |
Isle of Raasay single malt | Existing whisky made at R&B's separate island distillery. Do not count Raasay bottles as distilled at Machrihanish. |
Awards and recognition
No verifiable awards for a released Machrihanish distillery single malt were identified as of 25 October 2026. Recognition for the related Isle of Raasay whisky belongs to that separate distillery.
Future awards should be recorded only when the producer or awarding body identifies the expression and event.
Visiting The Machrihanish Distillery
The project plans a visitor centre and whisky club, with potential future tastings and hospitality. The official website continues to say Coming soon; there is no verified regular tour programme, opening schedule or public visitor ticket to recommend.
For travellers to Kintyre today, established Campbeltown producers are the practical alternatives. Follow the producer's own site for an opening announcement rather than relying on dates quoted in earlier planning articles.
Explore Campbeltown and the other R&B distillery
Explore related distillery guides on Whisky Clan to compare production methods, history and released bottles.
Springbank Distillery — A long-established Campbeltown malt distillery with an unusually traditional production process.
Glen Scotia Distillery — Another established Campbeltown distillery.
Glengyle and Kilkerran — The third current Campbeltown single malt distillery.
Isle of Raasay Distillery — R&B Distillers' existing operating single malt producer.
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Frequently asked questions about The Machrihanish Distillery
Is Machrihanish Distillery open in 2026?
The official project site still states Coming soon in October 2026, so no public tour opening or completed operation is claimed here.
Where will Machrihanish Distillery be?
At Dhurrie Farm near Machrihanish, west of Campbeltown in Kintyre.
Who owns the project?
R&B Distillers, the group associated with Isle of Raasay Distillery and founders Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day.
Can I buy Machrihanish single malt whisky?
There is no independently verified mature own-distilled Machrihanish single malt on sale yet. Cask interest and future bottling access are not the same as a released bottle.
How will Machrihanish whisky be made?
The plan centres on farm-to-bottle production, a predominantly unpeated style and sherry-seasoned maturation, subject to confirmation when full production is underway.
About the author
Filip Janczak researches and writes Whisky Clan distillery guides using producer sources, whisky catalogues and independently reported history. He does not invent bottle reviews or tasting scores.
Sources, official links and photograph credits
Source material is listed below so readers can explore Whisky Clan's linked guides before visiting external websites. Facts were checked 25 October 2026.
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