Isle Of Raasay Single Malt

Inspiration for the Isle of Raasay Single Malt came from some older styles of Hebridean single malts. Styles that had been lost through the ages and are not as prevalent anymore. This became the inspiration for the Isle of Raasay Distillery signature flavour profile: a lightly peated whisky, balanced with rich dark fruit flavours.

Raasay’s remarkable geology, island shores, the modern Scottish island distillery and unique water source inspired both the creation and presentation of the island’s first Scottish gin which was the first legal spirit from Raasay, an island rooted in centuries of illicit distilling.

On 14th September 2017, the Isle of Raasay Distillery opened its doors and spirit was flowing. The island’s first legal distillation had finally taken place. After a night of music, fire, song and dance it was time to introduce their Hebridean spirits to the world.

Since its establishment, the Isle of Raasay Distillery has brought job opportunities to the island, worked closely with other local businesses and become embedded in the island’s tight-knit community. Part of the distillery’s ethos is to produce, mature, bottle and market every drop of spirit directly from the island. This seeks to maximise the influence of the island on the spirit, and the distillery on the island. To quote the inimitable Whisky Writer Dave Broom at our distillery opening: we are not just making alcohol, we are making spirit.

The distillery now employs more than 25 people on the island and the average age of the Raasay workforce is approximately 30 years old. At least one of the employees is about to become a new parent too! An early indicator of creating inter-generational values and making sure this special island of 161 people continues to thrive.

The Whisky

Two Isle of Raasay spirits – peated and unpeated – are matured separately in first fill ex-rye whiskey, fresh Chinkapin oak and first fill Bordeaux red wine casks.

These six recipe casks marry together to create the perfect dram with real elegance, complexity and depth of character. Every drop of spirit is distilled, matured and bottled on the Isle of Raasay using water from the distilleries own well: Tobar na Ba Bàine (the Well of the Pale Cow).

Only 100% Scottish barley in all our production, and we have also grown and malted Raasay barley using local peat for future 100% Isle of Raasay Single Malt releases. A proportion of the barley is malted using Highland peat, giving a rich, fragrant smokiness to the spirit.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Dried cherry, lemon cheesecake, soft mineral-forward smoke and subtly oaky cinnamon.

Palate: Toffee, red apple, another helping of cherry, salted butter on nutty brown bread.

Finish: Creamy butterscotch and vanilla last.