No matter how far I’ve gone, this has always been my home,’ says the Outlander star, who has launched his Galloway Distillery to share ‘this precious place with the rest of the world’. Andrea Thompson reports on Sam’s mission to give back to the place where he first learned to dream – and what this exciting new chapter in his story means for his beloved Galloway and south west Scotland
‘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,” said Sam Heughan, the Balmaclellan-born actor, philanthropist, and owner of The Sassenach Spirits, as he launched his new venture – Galloway Distillery.
The event – attended by friends, family, artists, makers, guests, and representatives from organisations including South of Scotland Destination Alliance, South of Scotland Enterprise, Dumfries & Galloway Council, and VisitScotland – on September 27 was a momentous one for the region, and one which is set to transform the fortunes of Sam’s beloved Galloway.
Acquiring Craft Distillery near Newton Stewart, Sam and his business partner Alex Norouzi have founded Galloway Distillery. Establishing a brand home for their hugely successful Sassenach brand and the acquisition of the local, award-winning brand Hills & Harbour (where the Sassenach Gin is produced), Sam and the distillery team will develop and expand the visitor offering over the coming 12-14 months, so that it the distillery becomes a signature attraction and an ultimate 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,” said Sam, who grew up in the Glenkens and is best known for his iconic role as Highland warrior Jamie Fraser in the hit series Outlander. He is currently playing Macbeth (in his debut with the Royal Shakespeare Company) in Stratford-Upon-Avon until December 6.
While taking on the title role in his favourite Scottish play is a long-held acting dream come true for Sam, launching his own distillery in his native Galloway is another of his dreams, which working with Alex, he has been able to make real. It’s something they have been working for almost two years –“bringing the Sassenach back to Galloway really is a historical moment,” he says.
Sam’s journey as a spirits maker, which started with the launch of his blended Scotch whisky, The Sassenach- The Spirit of Home edition – in 2021, has seen him travel all over the world, but it was in Scotland – here in Dumfries & Galloway – that he created his 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 infectious passion for where he grew up has also inspired a love of Galloway in his business partner Alex, and their team, and a determination to make his distillery dream a reality: “Sam prided himself about his heritage and his homeland, the region where he was born and raised. He would always talk about it,” said Alex.
“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.”
Sam 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.”
Paying tribute to the “vibrant and unique” community of Galloway, to an audience which included his mum, artist Chrissie Heughan, ceramist Clare Dawdry of Kirkpatrick Durham, whose stunning beakers are on sale in the distillery, illustrator Claire Melinksy, hat maker Kay Ribbens, bookbinder Christian Ribbens, musician Gavin Marwick, and storyteller Angela Miller – Sam said: “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.”
Sam fans, and the Outlander faithful don’t need to be asked twice, and with more than 10 million followers, news of his homecoming and his passionate, stirring words about his love of Galloway have, understandably seen a dramatic rise in interest in the area.
David Hope-Jones, CEO of SSDA, said he could not overstate the strategic and economic value of the partnership with Sam.
“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 also welcomed Sam’s investment in our region as a “landmark moment” and “transformative opportunity for tourism in southwest Scotland,” with the distillery providing a ‘must visit’ destination for foreign and domestic visitors.
Outlander continues to be one of Scotland’s highest attractions relating to film or television, and Outlander filming locations such as Doune Castle have seen visitor numbers soar by up to 379 per cent, demonstrating the power of screen tourism.
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, said: “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 has bold new expansion plans, and promises 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.
It will be adding to its portfolio of The Sassenach, Blended Scotch Whisky (2021), and The Sassenach Wild Scottish Gin (2023) with its first release – The Sassenach Finest Scottish Vodka, scheduled for this November.
