Buy Silent Pool Spirits Online. In 2014, founders Ian McCulloch and James Shelbourne met in their local pub (where else?) and discussed the idea of setting up small, local distillery. Taking their inspiration from Scottish whisky distilleries, the two friends started out with a grand vision of making a truly sustainable distillery next to a fresh water source, producing handcrafted, artisan spirits using locally sourced ingredients. But first they needed the perfect location.