From Bunkers to Barrels: The Story of North Point Distillery

Situated on the rugged, wind-swept shores of Caithness, North Point Distillery occupies land previously defined by a far different purpose. Built for surveillance, not visitors, Forss Business Park was once a U.S. Navy Radio Station, characterised by the silence, secrets, and signals of the Cold War. Today, a portion of that once-classified ground tells a new story, housing a distillery filled with the glow of copper stills, the scent of fermenting grain, and the comforting clink of shared glasses. As a recent History graduate from the University of Aberdeen, I have always believed in the importance of honoring a place’s heritage and culture. For me, understanding where a place has come from - its stories, its people, its transformation - is essential to appreciating what it has become.

Between 1947 and 1991, the Cold War defined a period of intense conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union, drastically altering the geopolitical relations of the Western world. As a result of Scotland’s strategic northern location, the U.S. hosted a wide spectrum of military establishments in Cold War Scotland, with airfields in Machrihanish and Prestwick, naval ports in Rosyth and Greenock, a nuclear submarine base at Holy Loch, and of course, a navigation station in Thurso. Today, uncertainty persists as to whether the role of the U.S. Naval Radio Station in Thurso has been consciously downplayed or unintentionally neglected. In either case, it is a history that deserves recognition.

Image of the US Naval Sign by Bill Endres, found on https://www.forss-windfarm.co.uk/the-project/forss-wind-farm/

The Forss site saw construction begin in 1962 and two years later on January 3, 1964, it was commissioned as part of NAVCOMMSTA Londonderry. Staffing the base were U.S. Navy officers, Navy Seabees, a contingent of American civilian tradesmen - including electricians, riggers, masons, and mechanics - as well as local civilian operators. These teams were tasked with securing, maintaining, and running the site around the clock. The facility featured staff housing, emergency response infrastructure, a 600-foot radio mast nicknamed “The Big Stick”, and an underground bunker. The former bunker now facilitates the ageing process of our Dalclagie Scotch Whisky, a distinctly unique aspect of North Point Distillery.  

Although often left out of the history books, the Forss Naval Radio Station was a critical component of the U.S. Cold War strategy. Functioning as a strategic communications relay, the Naval Radio Station at Forss received transmissions from the Pentagon and directed them to SSBN submarines departing from Holy Loch, forming a vital node in the American command infrastructure. Had the Thurso Radio Station not existed, a critical communication link between North Sea submarines and U.S. command would have been lost. The “Big Stick" was essential for maintaining this contact; without it, they would have had to surface to periscope depth to communicate, increasing the risk of detection and tracking by Soviet forces. 

Image of the bunker's painted wall -  Martin Briscoe - found on https://www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/us-navy-communications-station-thurso/

The site was additionally entrusted with the role of tracking Soviet submarine movements in the Northern Seas - a highly classified and precarious task. Due to the neutrality of peacetime nations such as Norway, Cold War intelligence operations required alternative northern locations. A strategically positioned base in northern Scotland provided the United States with a vital platform to monitor Soviet activity in the North Sea, thereby strengthening Western security during a tense geopolitical era. This responsibility became even more critical after the U.S. lost key intelligence posts in Turkey and Pakistan during the 1960s - and intensified further in 1977, with the closure of NAVCOMMSTA Londonderry. 

Following the deactivation of the Londonderry site as a consequence of the ongoing sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland, Forss gained significant strategic importance, receiving two hundred personnel from Londonderry by the end of 1977. Stepping into a more prominent role, Forss Naval Radio Station officially became the U.S. Navy Communications Station UK on 1 October of that year. As the main U.S. Navy communications hub in the UK, the Thurso station’s elevated responsibilities came with increased exposure - making it a more likely target for Soviet monitoring. According to Soviet documents unearthed by historian Peter Hennessy, the U.S. Navy Communications Station UK at Thurso was identified as a priority target for the Soviet Union during the Cold War, especially following its newfound significance in 1977. Thus, while Forss Business Park now serves peaceful enterprise, we must remember its origins as a cornerstone of Cold War communications.

Image of Forss Business park with American Flag - found on John of Groat Journal and Caithness Courier, no credits provided, https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/how-a-soviet-nuclear-blast-would-have-wiped-out-caithness-186346/

Nevertheless, following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Thurso site officially ceased operations on November 4th, 1992, marking the end of three decades of activity. In the years that followed, the station’s physical presence faded - its communications equipment dismantled, its operations declassified, and its strategic role confined to history books few have read. While most of the local community in the 1990s made use of the site for its bowling alley, basketball court, swimming pool and baseball diamond, built by the Americans, there was little hope that this site would find a new purpose. 

Yet, a decade later, the site found a new life, transforming into Forss Business and Energy Park in 2003; becoming a home for renewable energy, engineering, and business in the Far North. Then, in 2020 - seventeen years later - North Point Distillery made this historic ground its home, occupying three buildings across the site. The distillery set out to combine distilling tradition with a commitment to producing small-batch, sustainable, premium spirits. Evidently, what was once defined by silence and stillness now hums with life, proving that places, like people, can evolve - while still holding onto the stories that shaped them.

North Point Distillery public entrance (credit: North Point Distillery)

This work owes much to the exceptional research and resources provided by numerous talented local individuals and institutions - my sincere thanks to all. If you happen to be in the area, I invite you to visit our distillery and sample our award-winning, sustainable Crosskirk Bay Gin, Pilot Rum, and Spiced Rum. As the Tours and Customer Experience Associate, I would be delighted to take you on a tour and share how we honour the rich heritage of this remarkable site.

If you are interested in finding out more – or wish to arrange a special visit – my email is bethany@northpointdistillery.com

Bethany

The People. The Place. The Spirits.