Rebuilding Diary

A lot has happened since we've been away.

Teresa and I have just returned from a business trip to the Far East. We've been keeping up with events but decided to wait until our return before posting the next diary entry.

Restoration of the roofs on the Bonded Warehouses is almost complete. This has been a huge (and expensive) task but Kirkwood's, and their sub-contractors who re-slated the entirety of both roofs and replaced all the lead work, have done a magnificent job. Both roofs were in a state of near collapse so it's wonderful to see them restored so beautifully. After detailed analysis we were able to deduce that the slates on the Bonded Warehouses (built by Johnnie Walker somewhere between 1896 and 1900, we believe) came from North Wales. They were probably brought to Annan by sea! The slates have a lovely rich purple hue. Fortunately, we've been able to source slates salvaged from a demolished building that are a very good match.

Inside the Bonded Warehouses we've just completed reinstatement of the first floor of the West Warehouse, so this is now, more or less, as it would have been in the JW era. We're delighted! The first floor in the East Warehouse had been stripped out completely during the farming era and a huge double door cut in the south gable to let tractors in and out. Unfortunately, because the floor was removed completely, new building/fire regulations apply. Subject to a fire engineer's report, we hope to obtain permission from Dumfries & Galloway Council to go ahead with the reinstatement. They've been very helpful so far.

The other major event of the last month has been the partial demolition of the Mash House. It was in a state of near collapse and had been propped with massive steel beams for several years. Demolition specialists took the east wall down stone by stone whilst harnessed into a massive 'cherry picker'. This was no mean feat. Having completed the demolition, the infill was dug out very carefully using a mechanical digger. New foundations have been laid and the masons are about to re-build the Mash House wall and reinstate the chimney (shown on Alfred Barnard's photo taken in 1895). The original Mash House will form the Mash House & Tun Room in the new distillery and the tall Mill House built by JW around 1900 will house our three stills. Kirkwood's Foreman, Nigel Campbell, warned me that this would be 'drastic'. He wasn't wrong! I've included a selection of photos that give a good impression of just how drastic.

Repairs to the Maltings roof are advancing very well and some of the steel framework for the malt bins is in place. The top of our brick chimney has been capped with a tarpaulin to protect it prior to complete restoration.

On Monday 14 November, Malcolm Rennie (Distillery Manager) will be hosting a team from Forsyth's of Rothes to discuss final details of the distillery plant and precisely where it will be located.

Sadly, when we were in the Far East, Teresa and I learned that Max, our lovely pet Rottweiler, had died in his sleep. He was only 9 years old and seemed to be in good health. Needless to say, all of the family is devastated. Max features in the video clip posted earlier. This makes difficult viewing for us at the moment but at least we've got video footage of him that we can view in the future.