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Arbikie, Scotland's newest farm-to-bottle distillery, kicks off with potato vodka

Published:  13 November, 2014

A super-premium Scottish potato vodka is to be the first spirit produced by Arbikie, Scotland's newest farm-to-bottle distillery.

A super-premium Scottish potato vodka is to be the first spirit produced by Arbikie, Scotland's newest farm-to-bottle distillery.

Whisky and gin are to follow suit early in 2015, with Arbikie claiming it is the first distillery in Scotland to produce both white and brown spirits that will grow all its own ingredients, ferment, distil, bottle, label and mature on site.

The vodka is made using Maris Piper, King Edward and Cultra potatoes.

ArbikieArbikie is launching a 'super-premium' vodka, made from potatoesBrothers Iain, John and David Stirling control the Arbikie estate, which claims to be Scotland's newest farm-to-bottle distillery.

The Arbikie Distillery is owned by the Stirling family, which has been farming on the 2,000-acre Arbikie Highland estate for four generations. The family members still control the business.

Iain Stirling, Arbikie commercial director, said: "We saw a real opportunity to utilise Scotland's acclaimed natural assets from its clear waters, rich crops and temperamental climate, alongside its renowned whisky heritage, to produce a new generation of exceptional quality spirits.

"As a family business, it is wonderful to have the freedom to be innovative. We believe that drinking should be no different than the way we eat, goodness from the ground up, from the farm to bottle. We have embraced the French concept of 'terroir', which describes how the natural elements of a place determine the characteristics of wine, to create exceptional spirits."

The Stirling brothers, John - finance and operations director; Iain - commercial director and David - brand director, run the firm along with Audrey Ramsay as managing director. Iain Stirling and Ramsay have held senior positions in drinks manufacturing, across Diageo, Whyte & Mackay and Jim Beam. David is a founding partner of two acclaimed New York restaurants and John, a chartered accountant, leads finance and procurement.

Master distiller Kirsty Black previously had worked at the Caledonian Brewery producing Deuchars, as well as helping to create Pickerings Gin. 

Arbikie Vodka retails at £42 per bottle and is available UK-wide through major retail outlets distributed by Gordon and MacPhail. 

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