Port of Leith Distillery

The Port of Leith Distillery is Scotland’s first vertical whisky distillery, located on a constrained site beside the Royal Yacht Britannia in historic Leith. The project required the fit-out of an eight-storey building to accommodate a full production process, visitor centre, shop, restaurant, bar and office facilities—all within a tight urban footprint. Challenges included logistical coordination, integrating technical distillation equipment, and delivering a high-quality visitor experience while maintaining production efficiency. 

G&T was appointed to provide Cost Management services, working closely with the project team to navigate procurement complexities and construction delivery. From initial budgeting through fabrication and fit-out, we advised on cost options and managed tender processes, ensuring competitive pricing and financial clarity. Their oversight helped to align contractor commitments with design intent—supporting the layer-by-layer fit-out from visitor spaces to distillation plant. 

The distillery opened in 2023 and achieved operational status in early 2024, now producing up to 400,000  litres of pure alcohol annually in a vertical format that merges production and consumption under one roof. It has quickly become a destination, blending industrial heritage with visitor amenities and reinforcing Leith’s position as a cultural and tourism hub. G&T’s cost control was crucial in delivering this landmark development to budget.