Orkney Distillery distillery information
Perched on Kirkwall’s historic harbourfront, Orkney Distillery began life in 2018 as home to the award-winning Kirkjuvagr gin range, before founders Stephen and Aly Kemp turned their attention to whisky. Licences to distil Scotch were granted in September 2023, and the distillery’s first whisky mash and distillation took place on International Whisky Day, 27 March 2024 – a long-held ambition finally realised.
While their own single malt rests in cask for its minimum three years, Orkney Distillery has introduced whisky drinkers to two blended malt Scotch expressions: Fara, an unpeated dram with notes of heather honey and vanilla, and Rysa, a peated release built around smoke, dried fruit and crème brûlée sweetness. Both are crafted from a blend of malts from across Scotland’s Island whisky region and beyond, including Orkney’s own new-make spirit.
The distillery sits a short walk from Kirkwall’s town centre, not far from fellow Orkney producers Highland Park and Scapa, and offers a visitor centre, café bar, and distillery tours – making it an easy addition to an Orkney whisky-touring itinerary. As one of Scotland’s newest whisky producers, its own single malt is expected to become available once maturation requirements are met, likely no earlier than 2027.
Orkney Distillery Whiskies:
- Fara – Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, 46% ABV, 70cl. Unpeated, with heather honey, vanilla and spiced apple notes.
- Rysa – Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, 46% ABV, 70cl. Peated, non-chill filtered, with smoke, raisin, burnt leather and crème brûlée.
- Single malt whisky is currently maturing following first distillation in March 2024; not yet released.
Distillery info:
Detail |
Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Orkney Distillery |
| Region | Island |
| Country | Scotland |
| Logo |  |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Water source | ? |
| Malting floor | ? |
| Owned by | Orkney Distilling Limited (Stephen & Aly Kemp) |
| Address |
Ayre Road, |
| Visitor centre | Yes |
| Website | https://www.orkneydistilling.com |
| https://www.twitter.com/kirkjuvagr_gin | |
| https://www.facebook.com/theorkneydistillery | |
| Map |
Distillery Setup:
Component |
Capacity |
Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Mash tun | ? | ? |
| Washback | ? litres | ? |
| Wash still | ? litres | ? |
| Spirit Still | ? litres | ? |
| Expected yearly output in LPA (Litres of pure alcohol) | 30,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Orkney Distillery, perched on Kirkwall’s historic harbourfront, began life in 2018 as home to the award-winning Kirkjuvagr gin range, before founders Stephen and Aly Kemp turned their attention to whisky. Licences to distil Scotch were granted in September 2023.
The distillery’s first whisky mash and distillation took place on International Whisky Day, 27 March 2024, a long-held ambition finally realised for the Kemps.
Not yet. The single malt is currently maturing following that first distillation in March 2024, and since Scotch requires a minimum of three years in cask, it’s unlikely to become available before 2027.
While its own single malt matures, Orkney Distillery has introduced two blended malt Scotch expressions: Fara, an unpeated dram with notes of heather honey, vanilla and spiced apple, and Rysa, a peated release built around smoke, dried fruit, burnt leather and creme brulee sweetness. Both are bottled at 46% ABV in 70cl, non-chill filtered in Rysa’s case, and crafted from a blend of malts from across Scotland’s Island whisky region and beyond, including Orkney’s own new-make spirit.
The distillery sits a short walk from Kirkwall’s town centre, not far from fellow Orkney producers Highland Park and Scapa. It offers a visitor centre, cafe bar, and distillery tours, making it an easy addition to an Orkney whisky-touring itinerary.