Mathew and Julie Cooper eschewed retirement in order to indulge in making a few small batches of single malt whisky in their repurposed garage, which is now a fully functioning whisky distillery. Every corner is occupied by the essential distillery equipment, including their mash-tun, stainless steel wash-backs and the petite copper pot still, which is at the heart of the endeavour. Julie can be found perfecting the design and prints of the labels while Mathew continues filling small oak casks.

Fannys Bay released their first cask strength, single cask whisky in July 2017 with the promise of more to follow. Given the incredibly small runs from the distillery, these expressions can only increase in value. The location of the distillery on the stunning, windswept Tam O’Shanter coast may give the whisky a certain maritime characteristic.