The Uilebheist Distillery will be sustainably powered by the water from the nearby River Ness and is set to create about 40 new jobs.

The Uilebheist Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky will be created as the core whisky product and will be released once matured, as will rare cask finishes and single cask bottlings in the years ahead.

Beer production will also begin this year, and the brewery’s five core beer styles should be available to purchase by late November, The Herald reports.

Uilebheist owner Jon Erasmus said: “Creating both beer and whisky simultaneously will allow us to offer an immediate product and whilst we wait for the whisky to reach maturity, there will be an opportunity to own one of a limited number of casks of the Uilebheist Single Malt Whisky distilled in the first year of production, through our cask programme.

“Alongside exceptional beer and whisky, we aim to raise the bar when it comes to visitor experiences and hope that the project will lead the way for Scotland’s hospitality sector in the area.

“The centre will offer a range of tours and experiences ranging from site tours and sampling of our core whisky and craft beer products through to detailed master classes, blending workshops and food pairing menus.”

Onsite heat pumps within the adjoined sustainability centre will provide heating and hot water, which is also distributed throughout the Glen Mhor Hotel complex.

The distillery and brewery will be headed up by Bruce Smith, who has a Masters degree in brewing and distilling from Heriot-Watt University and spent the ten years working in the craft beer industry and ageing beer in ex-whisky barrels. He added: “We are on track to officially open in November and begin beer production which visitors can enjoy in the taproom.”