Eden Mill whisky distillery

Perched on the banks of the Eden Estuary near St Andrews in Fife, Eden Mill is a craft distillery and gin house rooted in a historic site of distilling and brewing. Established in 2012 and commencing spirit distillation in 2014, it revived the legacy of the former Haig-family operations at Guardbridge. The estate lies on the grounds of the University of St Andrews’s Eden Campus—an innovation and sustainability hub—which gives Eden Mill a strong tie to place and purpose.

The location offers scenic views across the estuary towards the North Sea and the St Andrews skyline; salt-air, estuarine birdlife and gentle coastal breezes add character to the setting.

House Style

Eden Mill’s whisky style leans toward the contemporary Lowland character: lighter, fruit-forward, with orchard-fruit and citrus notes, subtle maritime influence and use of malt-type experimentation (pale, chocolate, crystal malts). Maturation tends toward first-fill and virgin oak casks for added texture and complexity.
For gin, they draw heavily on botanicals locally foraged around the estuary and St Andrews area (sea buckthorn, seaweed, heather) and also experiment with cask-aged gin variations.

Production

The distillery’s timeline and infrastructure include:

• Milling, mashing and fermentation on-site using regionally grown barley, drawing from the traditions of their earlier brewery beginnings.
• Fermentation durations up to ~4 days to build flavour.
• Copper pot stills for spirit distillation; new facility commissioned in April 2025 with full production of both gin and single malt whisky.
• Cask maturation programme utilising over 95 % first-fill and virgin oak, alongside ex-bourbon, sherry and smaller cask sizes for enhanced early character.
• Sustainable credentials: the site is part of a zero-carbon ethos under the university campus scheme, and the new distillery emphasises renewables and efficiency.

Visitor Centre

Eden Mill’s new visitor centre opened in 2025 and offers guided tours covering both gin and whisky, a retail shop, and a top-floor bar overlooking the estuary with panoramic views. The experience blends product insight, interactive tastings and the scenic setting.

Eden Mill factsheet