By Lucas Hill-Paul
Copyright dailyrecord
Outlander’s Sam Heughan has been left “emotional” as his latest career venture takes him back to his birthplace. The Scottish actor, famed for his role as Highlander Jamie Fraser in the popular Starz historical drama, has recently purchased the Crafty Distillery in Newton Stewart, rebranding it as Galloway Distillery. He unveiled the acquisition at an event this past weekend, on Saturday, 27th September. Following this, Heughan took to his Sassenach Spirits Instagram page to post poignant videos of himself exploring his childhood haunts. “It’s kind of emotional being back here,” he confessed. “It’s where I was brought up. What a really magical place”, reports the Scottish Daily Express . Born in Balmaclellan in Dumfries and Galloway, the star has chosen a site just a half hour’s drive away in Newton Stewart to produce his award-winning Sassenach Wild Scottish Gin, first launched in 2023. He subsequently spoke to The Scotsman about his connections to the area, including his childhood adventures to Kenmure Castle. “I imagined myself as a Scottish warrior, or grand explorer, discovering the secrets of the past,” Heughan reminisced. “At that time I would never have imagined I would return, decades later, after travelling the world and delighting in other cultures, to literally walk back through the playground of my youth.” He then encouraged his fans to “lose themselves” and experience the “magic” of Galloway. “I created the Galloway distillery to champion and celebrate the unique terroir and history of this beautiful corner of Scotland,” he continued. “A homecoming and new chapter, in the pursuit of fine spirit.” Master distiller Craig Rankin added: “Sam grew up here and Galloway is close to his heart. It’s an understatement to say that he’s invested in Scotland, Galloway and creating spirits. He feels it deeply.” Fans were overjoyed to see Heughan deepening his connection with his Scottish heritage and flooded his recent Instagram posts with celebratory comments on his latest endeavour. “Home is where your heart is. It’s so lovely to see your dreams coming true, Sam. Congratulations,” one follower replied. Another said: “So happy for Sam… what a special place for him! And to have his new business… I will be visiting.” And a third fan commented: “What a beautiful location, and a wonderful addition to the area!!!” Outlander is available to stream on MGM+ via Prime Video.
