“No matter how far I’ve gone, this has always been my home,” says Sam Heughan, the Outlander star, as he launches a new chapter in his life with the Galloway Distillery. The Balmaclellan-born actor, philanthropist, and owner of The Sassenach Spirits is opening the distillery to share “this precious place with the rest of the world,” Andrea Thompson reports.
“Every time I see the sunrise over the water, or a sunset, or a foreign city skyline, I always find that part of me is still back here. And now, after years of travelling, learning, building, dreaming, we’re coming home, because no matter how far I’ve gone, this land, this place, this community, has always been my home,” Heughan said at the launch.
The launch event on September 27 was attended by friends, family, artists, makers, and representatives from organisations including South of Scotland Destination Alliance, South of Scotland Enterprise, Dumfries & Galloway Council, and VisitScotland. It marked a momentous occasion for Galloway, with the potential to transform the region’s fortunes.
Heughan, together with business partner Alex Norouzi, acquired Craft Distillery near Newton Stewart to establish Galloway Distillery. Their goal is to create a home for the Sassenach brand while developing the visitor experience over the next 12-14 months, turning the distillery into a signature destination for the South of Scotland.
“I created the Galloway Distillery to return to my roots and give back to the land where I was born. My purpose is to shine a light on this unsung corner of Scotland, that has so much to offer. This represents a true homecoming and new chapter, in the pursuit of fine Scottish spirits from this undiscovered and exceptional land,” Heughan said.
Known worldwide for his role as Jamie Fraser in Outlander, Heughan is currently appearing as Macbeth in Stratford-Upon-Avon with the Royal Shakespeare Company, fulfilling a long-held acting dream. But launching a distillery in his native Galloway has been another dream, nearly two years in the making. “Bringing the Sassenach back to Galloway really is a historical moment,” he said.
Heughan’s journey as a spirits maker began in 2021 with The Sassenach Blended Scotch Whisky – The Spirit of Home edition – and continued with his wild Scottish gin, inspired by his childhood in Galloway. “I created my wild Scottish gin inspired by my upbringing, my childhood in Galloway, my memories of being here, of this amazing, very fortunate childhood and all the botanicals that I was able to explore from rolling in the heather or climbing a Scots pine tree, or picking crab apples, or growing rhubarb in the garden. In that process, we were also thinking about building a distillery somewhere in Scotland. It just felt right to come and build it here where I guess the journey started from.”
His passion has also inspired Alex and their team to bring the distillery vision to life. “Sam prided himself about his heritage and his homeland, the region where he was born and raised. He would always talk about it,” Alex said. “When the opportunity came to invest in Galloway, he jumped on it. We basically had a conversation, and he made it pretty clear that no matter what happens, we have to do this, we have to make this work.”
Alex added, “The Galloway region is one of Scotland’s undisputed gems, that blends natural beauty, rich history, and warm hospitality. For visitors, it offers the perfect start to explore the gateway to Scotland.”
Reflecting on his journey, Heughan said, “I think the journey I’ve been on is definitely full circle and to return to Galloway, it’s so rewarding to be able to give back to the place that I guess I’m thankful for. I had this amazing upbringing, this amazing community, idyllic. It’s quite a magical place, Galloway, and I want to share that. I want to shine a spotlight on Galloway for people to come and experience the delights that it has.”
At the launch, Heughan paid tribute to the “vibrant and unique” community of Galloway, including his mother, artist Chrissie Heughan, and local creatives such as ceramist Clare Dawdry, illustrator Claire Melinsky, hat maker Kay Ribbens, bookbinder Christian Ribbens, musician Gavin Marwick, and storyteller Angela Miller.
“Growing up, our friends were musicians, farmers, artists, clog makers, a local doctor, a local schoolmaster, a landowner, Buddhist converts, and filmmakers. This community has kept traditions alive while we’ve raced through change. You’ve built lives of meaning, of kindness, and of grit. You’ve built community, and you’ve also kept that Galloway gallows’ humour. So now, I feel it’s time for me to give back to this place where I first learned to dream. To imagine great things, to the soil that nourished my dream, and the people who shaped me. And I’m here to invest, but not just money, more important, heart. We want to support industry here and give people jobs and bring some energy and life and investment back into the area, which it needs. But we’re doing it mindfully and with great heart as well. We’re launching something really special; not just a business, not just a distillery, we’re building a destination and sharing this precious place with the rest of the world. I want to celebrate our heritage, our stories, our nature, while inviting others to experience it with us.”
News of Heughan’s homecoming has sparked widespread interest, with over 10 million followers eagerly sharing in his excitement. David Hope-Jones, CEO of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance, highlighted the economic value of the venture: “We have already seen the power and reach of Sam’s global brand. Hits on our consumer-facing Scotland Starts Here website and our industry SSDA website have sharply increased since the announcement and our interview with Sam has been our best performing video in its first 24hrs. We are hugely grateful to Sam Heughan and his business partner Alex Norouzi, for their passion for, and loyalty to, our region. Sam could have made an investment like this anywhere in the world, but he chose to make it a Galloway homecoming. He’s really committed to working collaboratively with the sector and local communities to help support maximum possible local economic benefit.”
Dumfries & Galloway Council described the distillery as a “landmark moment” and a “transformative opportunity for tourism in southwest Scotland,” adding that it will provide a must-visit destination for domestic and international visitors. Council leader Stephen Thompson said, “Galloway Distillery has the potential to be a game-changer by championing locally distilled spirits in Galloway’s unique landscape and will help reinforce our region as a ‘go to’ rather than a ‘go through’ destination. With Sam’s passion for his homeland and his profile’s global reach, this is an ideal opportunity to showcase our landscapes, our people, and our craft to the world.”
Martin Valenti, director of Investment and Sustainable Enterprise at South of Scotland Enterprise, added, “It is fantastic to see such a famous son of Galloway return home with his business partner Alex Norouzi to launch the new Galloway Distillery. The vision and ambition for the distillery are exactly the type of business we welcome to the South of Scotland, and I am especially excited about their passion for net zero and being a low carbon distillery. They already produce the award-winning Sassenach whisky, and I look forward to working with Sam, Alex and the team to drive the business to become a beacon of opportunity for Galloway, the South of Scotland and beyond. I am confident this new venture will catalyse new opportunities and much deserved recognition to Galloway – and we are here to support and work with the distillery each step of the way.”
Galloway Distillery is planning an ambitious expansion, with a commitment to “deliver a cleaner and smarter way to grow and create spirits with net zero design to house all production. Powered by green energy and uniquely harnessing the local wind for cooling the distilling process, The Galloway Distillery is capable of producing 200k PLA per annum of new make spirit for Galloway Scotch Whisky.”
The distillery will expand its portfolio beyond The Sassenach Blended Scotch Whisky (2021) and The Sassenach Wild Scottish Gin (2023) with its first vodka release, The Sassenach Finest Scottish Vodka, scheduled for November.
