As the kettle boils for a round of peppermint teas, Whirly and Gregorie Marshall keep a watchful eye on the moody Ayrshire skies. The work they do to create Blackthorn Salt, a premium, small-batch product, is dictated heavily by weather conditions as sea water drips down through 54 wooden taps and a series of channels that are adjusted daily. Seeping through the spiked twigs and thorns of the UK’s only graduated thorn tower in Ayr, these water droplets partially evaporate leaving any remaining liquid to become a concentrated brine that is ready for the panhouse, where the next steps are a mix of “skill and alchemy” Pictured: Blackthorn Salt founders Whirly and Gregorie Marshall (Image: SAM BRONX PHOTO) Asked how they keep up with a growing demand for the final product, Mr Marshall said: “Well, we hope, pray and work really hard.
“But a lot of what we do is weather-dependent which means whether it’s wet, windy or sunny has a huge effect on what we can produce “Looking to the future, we’re exploring different ways to make the tower more efficient. “There are universities researching fluid dynamics and whether we can alter the way in which the water goes across the branches, and we’ve had thermal imaging and all sorts done. “It’s a nice challenge and something we’re getting better and better at.
“We’re not quite there yet, but one day we will be.” Pictured: The Blackthorn Salt tower in Ayr (Image: Supplied) The Herald last visited the Blackthorn S.