vPub Live on Location - Dornoch & The Thompson Bros

In the first Live on Location vPub of 2024 I'll be heading up North to Sutherland to meet the Thompson Brothers and the team behind Dornoch Distillery (soon to be plural) and independent label releases.

With most of the things they do in high demand these days, I wanted to dig a little deeper to understand what the secret ingredients in their magic sauce are. Over a couple of short meetings in recent years, I'd spoken with them about potentially doing something together; certainly welcoming them behind the bar in the vPub sometime.

Because, while we know most of it is founded in pure curiosity and passion, I think we also know there has to be a little more to the ingredient list: be it opportunity, knowledge, skill, talent or maybe a little good fortune too. It all builds to give this absolutely tiny distillery and the Thompson Bros brand an aura of something special; enthusiastic whisky for enthusiastic whisky folk.

But most of you will have probably already worked out that I'm after some of the good stuff for myself - even if it means a jaunt up the A9. So if that’s the remit, why not take you all along with me? Rumour has it The Alchemist is running roadie on this one, so we know it’s gonna be a good trip.

Would love to welcome you there!

0:00 - Opening at Dornoch Castle
1:48 - Welcoming you to the Dungeon at Dornoch Castle
4:26 - Welcoming in the travelling lounge
11:04 - A 'tour' of Dornoch Distillery
13:05 - Welcoming in Phil & Simon Thompson
15:03 - Finding their own way & who was first?
54:19 - Uncorking the 'new' Strathearn
57:18 - How Strathearn helped inspire proto-Dornoch
1:17:14 - Adding E150a - declare or ban?
1:21:20 - Are there too many distilleries?
1:29:28 - Chill-filtration & its impact
1:41:00 - Welcoming in Seve The Alchemist
1:50:44 - Packaging in whisky - trash or treasure?
2:05:16 - Opening a very special Port Ellen
2:09:15 - Quiz at the End