Kingsbarns

In 2009, golf caddie Douglas Clement conceived a renovation plan for Sir Peter Erskine's Cambo Estate farm near Kingsbarns, which boasts picturesque scenery. After assembling a professional team that included Edinburgh architects Simpson & Brown and Tasmanian distiller Bill Lark, Clement secured seed capital from small investors and obtained building permits from Fife Council. At the end of 2012, Clement secured a £670,000 loan from the Scottish Government, which enabled him to join the board of the Wemyss family. The family took over the project in early 2013, with only Clement remaining as founding director and visitor centre manager. The new distillery manager was Peter Holroyd, former head brewer at Strathaven Brewery. The Wemyss family's ancestral home is also at Wemyss Castle in Fife, and they have been independent bottlers of Scotch whisky since 2005, with their headquarters at Wemyss Malts in Edinburgh. The farm buildings—including the dovecote, malting floor, and various old granaries—date back to the late 18th century and now house a comfortable visitor centre and distillery. Kingsbarns was commissioned on St. Andrew's Day (30 November) 2014, and the Founders' Club was established on the first anniversary of the distillery (see distillery website).