Shetland Reel

At the very tip of the British Isles lie the Shetland Islands, where the North Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. They are a place steeped in history and surrounded by untamed natural beauty. Every season, from the islands’ long summer days to the dramatic winter nights, influences the landscape and the residents of the islands. In 2006, this untamed beauty drew Frank and Debbie Strang to the Isle of Unst, Shetland’s northernmost inhabited island and the northern point of Shetland and the UK.

Initially, the couple moved to Unst and took over the Saxa Vord Holiday Resort, located on the site of a former RAF base. The couple were passionate about the area’s heritage and history, plus supporting the local community with the creation of new jobs for the region. With many Scottish Islands facing depopulation, Frank and Debbie knew there was a unique opportunity to establish a range of businesses that would provide further employment and attract visitors to the island of Unst.

With a large area of land that came with their purchase of the Saxa Vord Holiday Resort, Frank and Debbie began to explore what other types of business would fulfil their ambition of boosting tourism and creating jobs. Both avid whisky and gin drinkers, the couple saw the creation of Shetland’s first legal distillery as a chance to establish a business that would provide long term employment, attract visitors and add something new to the island’s respected reputation for the food, drink and hospitality.

Frank and Debbie brought in Stuart Nickerson as a business partner who could help support the couple’s goals. Stuart spent over four decades working in the whisky world, managing several iconic Scotch distilleries, including Glenfiddich, Balvenie, and Highland Park. He was also instrumental in reviving Glenglassaugh Distillery after it had been dormant for over two decades. His deep understanding of distillation, product development, and brand building was invaluable when he joined forces with Frank and Debbie Strang to establish the Saxa Vord Distillery. Besides his experience, Stuart knew the importance of distilleries and their role in supporting often small, rural economies, and distilled spirits provided a means to showcase a region’s nature, culture, and stories.

The Saxa Vord Distillery officially opened in 2014. The distillery launched its signature Shetland Reel Original Gin in August of the same year, with a recipe Stuart had carefully developed to include a selection of classic and locally foraged botanicals. The distillery would go on to release a range of Shetland Reel Gins and whiskies inspired by the islands, including its highly collectable ‘Up Helly Aa Shetland Reel Gins’ that pay tribute to the island’s Viking heritage and the annual Up Helly Aa festival. The distillery has continued to grow its staff to support the distillation, bottling, and production, providing skills and training. The distillery also offers visitors a guided tour and tutored Shetland Reel Gin tasting, where guests can learn more about the distillation process and discover the unique qualities and the inspiration behind each Shetland Reel Gin.

Thanks to its unique geography, Frank and Debbie Strang also had another ambition for the island and what they came to call home: the creation of Europe’s first vertical launch Spaceport. The Saxa Vord Spaceport began testing its facilities in 2024 thanks to Frank and Debbie’s vision and ambition. It will one day provide a commercial launch and retrieval site for launching low earth orbit rockets carrying satellites, securing employment and a legacy for Unst island that will now incorporate whisky, Scottish Gin and space.