Simon Thompson
Simon Thompson was born in 1984 and grew up in a family closely associated with the hospitality industry in the northern Scottish Highlands. His parents, Colin and Ros Thompson, acquired Dornoch Castle in 2000, continuing its established operation as a hotel in the historic town of Dornoch, Sutherland. Simon and his younger brother Phil became involved in the family business while still young, working behind the hotel bar during school holidays and later during university vacations. These early responsibilities introduced them to the commercial and cultural dimensions of Scotch whisky long before either became a distillery owner.
The brothers gradually developed Dornoch Castle Hotel's whisky bar into an internationally recognized destination for enthusiasts and collectors. Simon began collecting whisky at a young age, purchasing bottles through trade suppliers and eventually attending auctions throughout Britain. Their collection increasingly emphasized rare expressions produced during earlier periods of Scotch whisky history, particularly bottlings originating in the 1960s and preceding decades. Through these acquisitions, the brothers gained direct experience with spirits produced using ingredients and manufacturing practices that had largely disappeared from contemporary distilling. Their interest developed into a systematic examination of historical whisky production. Simon and Phil studied older technical literature, consulted industry specialists, and sought information from individuals familiar with earlier distilling practices. They became particularly interested in the influence of heritage barley varieties, yeast selection, fermentation duration, and distillation techniques on the character of the finished spirit. Simon recognized that the wider range of production methods historically employed by Scottish distilleries had contributed to considerable differences in flavor and texture between individual whiskies. Rather than attempting to reproduce a particular historic expression, the brothers intended to apply this knowledge to the creation of their own distinctive spirit.
By 2013, Simon had begun translating that research into practical experimentation. His involvement with the newly established Strathearn Distillery provided an opportunity to test production methods influenced by prewar Scotch whisky. After sharing his research and assisting the distillery, he arranged to conduct a production cycle designed around his own specifications. The resulting spirit was distilled in 2014, with whisky specialists including Angus MacRaild participating in aspects of the mashing, fermentation, and distillation. This experiment became an important technical precursor to the production philosophy subsequently adopted at Dornoch.
The brothers also developed an independent bottling business under the Thompson Bros name, selecting and releasing whiskies from established distilleries. Their experience as collectors, retailers, and independent bottlers gave them an unusually broad perspective on whisky production and maturation. They understood the characteristics of mature Scotch whisky while also developing relationships with enthusiasts willing to support their ambitions. By the middle of the decade, Simon and Phil were prepared to establish a distillery dedicated to the traditional production principles they had spent years investigating.
In 2015, planning permission was granted to convert a nineteenth-century fire station on the grounds of Dornoch Castle into a small whisky distillery. The building, dating from the 1880s, offered limited space but allowed the brothers to establish production beside the hotel where their whisky careers had begun. Financing presented another challenge. They committed personal resources and organized a crowdfunding campaign in 2016, attracting support from whisky enthusiasts who shared their interest in traditional methods. Approximately 200 supporters contributed to the project, helping transform the former fire station into a functioning production facility.
Dornoch received its distilling license in December 2016, and whisky production commenced in 2017. The operation was deliberately small, producing approximately 12,000 litres of single malt spirit annually. Its production philosophy emphasized organic heritage barley, carefully selected yeast strains, lengthy fermentations, and direct-fired copper pot stills. These decisions placed character development ahead of maximum production efficiency. Fermentations extending to approximately seven days allowed the brothers to investigate the effects of slower processing on the resulting spirit, while traditional distillation equipment supported their preference for a richly textured Highland whisky.
In 2020, the earliest spirit finally reached the three-year minimum maturation period required for Scotch whisky, establishing an important milestone for the young distillery. An inaugural single-cask release followed in 2022. The expanding Thompson Bros enterprise eventually included independent bottling, warehousing, retail operations, and a growing international reputation. In 2022, the brothers established additional commercial facilities in Dornoch's Station Square, strengthening the infrastructure supporting their bottling and distribution activities. Their independent bottling operation received the Online Scotch Whisky Awards' Best Independent Bottler recognition in 2024, reflecting the standing their releases had achieved among whisky enthusiasts.
By September 2022, Simon and Phil had also announced plans for a substantially larger production facility, subsequently developed as the Struie Distillery project. Conceived as an environmentally-conscious distillery in Dornoch, the project represented a significant expansion beyond the limited capacity of the original fire station. A further crowdfunding campaign began in March 2025 to support its development, while construction activity advanced during the year. The new venture extended the brothers' commitment to producing characterful Scotch whisky while providing greater opportunities for production and experimentation.
Simon Thompson's career illustrates an important distinction between preserving tradition and applying historical knowledge. His work has connected the experience of collecting rare Scotch whisky with the practical disciplines of independent bottling and whisky production. From the bar at Dornoch Castle to the copper stills of a converted Victorian fire station, his professional development has been grounded in a sustained examination of how whisky acquires its character. Dornoch Distillery stands as the practical expression of that research, demonstrating that historical methods remain relevant to the development of contemporary Highland single malt Scotch whisky.
Sources:
Whisky Auctioneer, “In Conversation With: Simon Thompson, Dornoch Distillery”, Rebecca Marshall, July 3, 2025, whiskyauctioneer.com
Decanter, “Meet Scotland’s Young-Gun Distillers”, Peter Ranscombe, March 16, 2023, decanter.com
Scotch Whisky, “Dornoch Distillery”, scotchwhisky.com
Thompson Bros., “Our Story”, trade.thompsonbrosdistillers.com
This Is Dornoch, “Dornoch Distillery & Bottle Shop”, thisisdornoch.com
Whisky.com, “Thompson Bros. – Dornoch Distillery”, whisky.com
Contributed by Tracy McLemore, Fairview, Tennessee
