Cardrona Distillery owner Desiree Whitaker said the opening had been a ‘‘low-key event'' and an official ribbon-cutting ceremony would be held at the distillery on January 25 in homage to Robbie Burns' birthday.
‘‘It is still really exciting seeing the public here, though, because the project has been a long time coming,'' she said.
Mrs Whitaker said finding a suitable site for the distillery in the Cardrona Valley had proven difficult.
‘‘Historically, there has been a lot of open dredging in the valley, so the ground is very unstable.
‘‘So to build heavy buildings which are housing equipment which gives off volatile gases like a distillery does, you need to have solid ground.''
She said Cardrona Skifield pioneers John and Mary Lee had been two of many people in the area who had helped the project come to fruition.
The extensive history of the area would be on permanent display in an on-site museum dedicated to the people and stories of Cardrona, she said.
While the distillery's whisky would be aged in oak casks for a decade, vodka, orange liqueur, gin and rose perfume would also be produced and available to buy on-site.
Mrs Whitaker said 100 casks of the single malt whisky were available for pre-sale in 500 litre sherry barrels for $19,500, plus excise duty to be paid in 10 years, and in 200 litre bourbon barrels for $10,500 plus excise.
Cardrona Distillery manager Jennie Whitlock, who is a member of Scottish whisky industry family the Forsyths, said she hoped the beauty of Cardrona Valley would be reflected in the taste of the distilled product.
