Claxton’s Whisky has operated from the Dalswinton Estate since 2018 and, in that time, several major redevelopments on the estate have taken place. This has included revitalising a range of redundant farm buildings, building an 8000sq ft new bonded warehouse, and converting an old farmhouse into a showroom. Similarly, by leveraging the reputation and history of Dalswinton, Claxton has built its own popular brand that is enjoyed by customers worldwide with global sales of around £10m.
Claxton’s main products are their premium range of single cask Scotch whiskies, using new make spirit matured in their own oak casks to produce high quality whiskies, before bottling the final product in their on-site bottling hall. They also produce a range of prestige super-premium single malts and a core range of more volume orientated Scotch products. Their diverse and quality-focused cask maturation warehouses and bottling facility also provide storage and maturation for other companies.
Every release is only bottled when the balance between cask influence and spirit is perfect, no matter how long this may take. Claxton’s value quality, taste and aroma above all else.
To deliver a project of this scale and success, parties must build high levels of trust and understanding, and over the last 6 years, Claxton’s Whisky and the Dalswinton Estate have achieved this. The result has been a joint investment in a new storage facility costing more than £3 million which will set the business on a new growth path for the future. Their diverse and quality-focused cask maturation warehouses and bottling facility also provide storage and maturation for other companies.
The Claxton’s Dalswinton Bond is the perfect location to hone their craft, and the team has become part of the estate’s fabric, employing around 30 people. They plan to increase storage capacity from 2,500 to 20,000 casks and are presently building, with the help of local tradespeople and suppliers, a new 30,000 sq ft warehouse which should be operational by October.
Over the last year, Claxton’s have supported a wide variety of charities and local schools continue to sponsor Abbey Vale, the local football club. Every year, they donate to and run an event for the opening of the Salmon season on the River Nith, while also donating numerous bottles for raffles to those raising money in the community. Wherever they can, they work with local and UK-based suppliers for construction through to signage. Old and disused casks are collected by a local company, Stave 32, who upcycles them into furniture used in the visitor space.
The notion of building a business that is both resilient and sustainable has always been part of the Claxton’s mindset and they are committed to making a positive impact on both the environment and surrounding community.
To improve the sustainability of its core brands, Claxton’s has switched to recyclable and biodegradable packaging, biodegradable shrink seals made from cellulose, and biodegradable plastic bags for products. They have also stopped using plastic tape and introduced a fully UV printed bottle, reducing the additional energy consumption and waste created in extra packaging like labels and gift cartons.
Physical changes to the site are happening too, such as installing an electric car charging point at the Dalswinton Bond, solar PV panels on the new warehouse development and ordering a carbon audit to achieve net-zero carbon status. Similarly, through upskilling, Claxton’s have trained their warehouse team in coopering, enabling casks to be re-coopered and repaired on site.
Finally, the company has invested in a van, allowing them to collect casks from all over Scotland, instead of relying on multiple lorries arriving with single casks each. The new van will enable the logistics team to plan routes and collect multiple casks in one trip.