Family-owned Deerness Distillery on the Orkney Islands has opened its Dashing Deer Kitchen & Bar. Offering seasonal, locally sourced dishes, the café overlooks Copinsay and marks a milestone for Deerness Distillery, which has grown from crafting award-winning gin to distilling its first new-make spirit.
Led by husband-and-wife team Stuart and Adelle Brown, the distillery’s expansion includes new fermentation tanks and mash tuns, with plans to partner with local farmers to source key ingredients for their Orkney whisky.
Stuart, now Chair of Orkney Food & Drink Regional Food Group, sees the destination as both a showcase for local producers and an extension of the distillery’s mission to honour Orkney’s resources, saying, “Collaborating with other Orkney producers is at the heart of our vision. The café’s evolving menu features ingredients from Orkney Food & Drink members, reflecting the island’s seasonal bounty.”
Support from the Orkney community has fuelled plans for festive events and guest chef evenings, which aim to highlight Orkney’s unique culinary heritage and growing reputation as a food and drink destination.
Fiona Richmond, Head of Regional Food at Scotland Food & Drink, said, “Stuart and Adelle’s dedication to Orkney’s food and drink sector and community has been remarkable. Since moving from Australia over a decade ago, they’ve made an outstanding impact on the regional food group and our industry more broadly.
“In his new role as Chair of Orkney Food & Drink, and with the upcoming addition of whisky production at Deerness Distillery, Stuart is helping elevate Orkney’s profile as a destination for high-quality, locally produced food and drink. We’re thrilled to welcome another unique whisky distillery to the island. we look forward to seeing Deerness continue to flourish.”
