THREE bee hives have been placed in the gardens surrounding Glenkinchie distillery near Pencaitland in East Lothian as the whisky producer gears up to make its own honey.
Hoods Honey, based in nearby Ormiston, has installed the hives, each of which will house around 65,000 bees during July’s peak pollen-gathering weeks.
Glenkinchie’s honey will be sold in the distillery’s gift shop and used in cocktails at its bar once the redevelopment of the site is completed.
The distillery – which is owned by Diageo, Scotland’s largest whisky maker and the owner of brands including Bell’s, Johnnie Walker and Talisker – is being promoted as “the garden distillery”.
The redevelopment is part of the company’s wider £185 million investment in 12 of its visitor centres, as well as the construction of the Johnnie Walker attraction on Princes Street in Edinburgh and the reopening of its Brora and Port Ellen distilleries.
Ramsay Borthwick, master distiller at Glenkinchie, said: “East Lothian – where Glenkinchie calls home – is known as Scotland’s garden county and is the perfect spot for us to nurture our very own bees.
“We’re passionate about supporting local suppliers and the local community, and with such expert knowledge, Hoods Honey is the ideal partner to help us produce our very own Glenkinchie honey.”
Stuart Hood, owner of Hoods Honey, added: “The distillery has always been an important part of the local community and it’s great to have the opportunity to partner with them and help produce their very own honey.
“The new Glenkinchie visitor centre looks set to be a wonderful place for locals to visit and enjoy and we’re delighted to be part of that.”
Read more whisky news stories and reviews on Scottish Field’s whisky pages.
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