Doug Clement founded the Kingsbarns Distillery company in May 2009 with plans to transform an old farm house and dovecot in the East Neuk of Fife into a working distillery and visitor centre.
Planning for the new production site took two years, with a grant from the Scottish Government and finance from the Wemyss family - who came on board to help guide the project before finally taking over - leading to construction getting underway in 2013.
Doug shows off his tattoo next to the new single malt. Picture: Picture: John Murray @johnmurrayjnr
Though Doug eventually left in January 2017 to start his next spirits and tourism business idea - giving the Wemyss Family sole control of the distillery - his original vision became reality earlier this month with the launch of the brand's first flagship single malt bottling.
To celebrate the launch of the new expression, dubbed ‘Dream to Dram’, Doug teamed up with Alan Beveridge at Adept Art Collective in Edinburgh to design a new tattoo in tribute to the realisation of the project.
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Featuring the new bottle design, a dram in a Glencairn glass emblazoned with the 'Dream to Dram' logo, some barley and of course a pair of doves to represent the distillery, Doug wanted to get the new tattoo underway before the launch event on the 24th January.
Doug said: "Kingsbarns is in great shape under the Wemyss family with a fantastic visitor centre, highly regarded spirit and of course, it now has a delicious Dream to Dram flagship malt on the market.
"Though I’m not involved any more other than being their biggest fan, as the founder I wanted to do something to mark the journey I'd made.
"Alan was actually booked out for months but I persuaded him to come in on his day off on 27th December to do my first special tattoo in time for the Kingsbarns launch.
"He started at midday after spending two hours working out the design with me. By 5pm I was in tears and in agony so he took pity on me and stopped.
"I’m going back in the Spring for him to finish it."
Picture: John Murray @johnmurrayjnr
Edinburgh-based artist Alan added: "Every tattoo is unique to the wearer. Doug came to see me on the recommendation of another artist and with a deadline.
"His passion for the project sold me on it and we got to work over the festive period.
"I tried my best to match his vision and introduced him to the painful world of tattooing. It's always great to work with someone who has an idea in their head.”
Described as a "truly local dram", Dream to Dram has been produced by the Kingsbarns team using barley harvested exclusively from the fields of East Fife.
The first generally available single malt whisky from Kingsbarns Distillery, it follows
a limited release of the exclusive ‘Founders Reserve’ for members of the Kingsbarns Distillery Founders Club in December last year.
Bottled at 46%, it's priced with an RRP of £44.95 and is available from the Kingsbarns Distillery online shop and at specialist and independent outlets across the UK.
