From The Scotsman, 09-Oct-2003:
THE team behind the redevelopment of the Tullibardine Distillery in Perthshire today said the first new spirit will be produced by the end of this year.
Michael Beamish, one of four shareholders in the distillery, said: "It’ll be a ten-year-old malt, so obviously that won’t be available for at least ten years. But we have bought a load of maturing stock and are relaunching the Tullibardine brand.
"It’s being packaged at the moment and will be bottled in November, so it should be available by the end of this year or the beginning of next in the UK market."
The consortium - which also includes chairman Alan Williamson, finance director Alastair Russell and director Douglas Ross - acquired the distillery from Kyndal in June and is also developing a 50,000 sq ft retail site next to the plant.
Half of the site has been taken by Baxters, the family-owned food group, which opened its first "lifestyle store" at Leith’s Ocean Terminal this week.
Mr Beamish said the retail development next to the distillery should open in August next year, and the team is currently in talks with other tenants for the site.
He added: "The distillery, which was mothballed in 1994, is bang on the main road between Perth and Stirling.
"We estimate over 100 jobs will be created between the distillery and the retail development. There’ll be restaurants and shops, all of which are creating new jobs."