The Cabrach Trust

Today was an important day for #TheCabrach. Today we hosted our First Spirit Ceremony at The Cabrach Distillery. There is so much more to say about the significance of this milestone, so many thanks to relay, but for just now, some pictures and an extract or two from today’s Official Welcome. Slàinte 🥃 “As we all know, The Cabrach’s recent history has been a difficult one. Yet, despite years of decline, our strong sense of community spirit, identity, and resilience has persevered. And it is those qualities of community spirit, resilience, and perseverance that have brought us to this moment. Here at Inverharroch Farm, our old stone steadings have stood proud since 1849. These old steadings are now home to The Cabrach Distillery. This is a place that will revive and celebrate the proud traditions of whisky making in The Cabrach, whilst serving as the economic lungs of our bold regeneration vision. Today represents the recommencement of whisky making in The Cabrach after an absence of over 170 years. Change is possible. So many of you here today have played a part in reaching this milestone. This is The Cabrach’s distillery. This is a distillery owned by The Cabrach community. This is a distillery like no other and it is my privilege to welcome you all to The Cabrach Distillery here on our rugged edge of Speyside.” #WhiskyWithPurpose #FirstSpirit #SingleMalt #ScotchWhisky #Speyside #SocEnt The Scottish Government Highlands and Islands Enterprise Social Investment Scotland Moray Chamber of Commerce Visit Moray Speyside Spirit of Speyside Grant Gordon OBE Glen Gribbon Sam Dowdall Craig Buchan Euan Christie Alan Winchester Jonathan Christie

The night before… #TheCabrach #SocEnt #Speyside #Community #Regeneration

This weekend the Trust hosted our third annual Autumn Makers Market in the Acorn 🧶🍂 Contrasting days with Saturday bright and blue sky, and today wet and windy, but a warm welcome regardless and it was fanatastic to welcome familiar faces and new visitors alike. Huge thank you to the team, community volunteers, and our incredible makers! We really have such amazing creative talent in and around #TheCabrach. #community #regeneration #RuralSkills #Autumn Sam Dowdall

Today we took #TheCabrach to Glenfiddich for the Dufftown Family Day where we shared insight on our work, alongside several other organisations and projects supported by the William Grant Foundation. The site was alive with families and music. Lovely catching up with so many folk. Thanks for having us. #community #regeneration #SocEnt

Such a pleasure attending the Moray Chamber of Commerce Annual Business Dinner at the resplendent Gordon Castle Estate last night. An uplifting evening. Huge respect and recognition to Sarah Medcraf for her leadership of the Chamber and the manner in which she represents Moray Region locally, regionally and nationally, alongside Aimee Walker. Thanks to Spey for hosting both Sam Dowdall and Euan Christie from #TheCabrach team. Wonderful company and hospitality. #TogetherWeGrow The Cabrach Distillery The Cabrach Trust

Seeing inside the Cabrach distillery as the construction phase nears completion was a great treat yesterday. However this is only part of an ambitious regeneration project for the community and the surrounding environment which is bringing lasting value to the area, recently seriously depopulated but once a hotbed of illicit distillation. Thanks to Jonathan Christie and Sam Dowdall for their welcome yesterday and congratulations to everyone whose contribution will ensure the success of this project. #Cabrach #CabrachTrust #maltwhisky #JonathanChristie #SamDowdall #AlanWinchester #Speyside #VisitMoraySpeyside

You can hear the story about a place, but to be in the place and hear that story makes it all the more meaningful. What a remarkable story of regeneration and transformation The Cabrach Trust has to share. Thanks to its efforts, this sparsely populated part of Moray is overcoming the odds and looking to the future with an optimism that has not been witnessed in generations. As an ex-reporter I remember writing stories about the dwindling school roll, and Cabrach School's subsequent closure. Without a school, it's hard to attract or maintain families, and it often spells the ultimate demise of a community. So it was heartening to visit the area and hear about Cabrach's revived Highland Games, to see artists participating in NEOS arts festival, and to walk a short distance along its Discovery Trail accessible footpath. There's more to come for this beautiful part of Scotland. Cabrach's first distillery in 170 years is taking shape, offering great economic and tourism potential. Thank you Jonathan Christie and Sam Dowdall for sharing these incredible insights with the Speyside Area Tourism Network.

What a morning to be playing host to the Visit Moray Speyside Network Meeting. We look forward to welcoming colleagues to #TheCabrach, sharing insight on our work at The Cabrach Trust and progress made on The Cabrach Distillery, before reflecting on a busy summer with peers from across #Moray region. #community #regeneration Gemma Cruickshank Ann MILLER, the Dram Queen Sam Dowdall

Last week the Trust wrote to Patrick Decostre, President and Chief Executive Officer, at Boralex Inc. Boralex is an organisation that positions exemplary governance, with a focus on corporate social responsibility, at the heart of everything they do. For their Board of Directors, #ESG serves as a cornerstone of decision making. As such, we have reached out recognising our overlapping interests here in #TheCabrach and await reply and acceptance of our offer to meet. #community #regeneration #environment #society #governance #ESG #JustTransition Isabelle Fontaine, ASC Richard Lochhead

“The Cabrach’s Sam appointed Chair of the organisation supporting Moray’s third sector.” Very proud of Sam Dowdall 👏👏👏 New Chair ⁦‪Third Sector Interface Moray (tsiMORAY) – Inside Moray https://lnkd.in/ehJtFd6c