Torabhaig Distillers Series Niall

The Distillery at Torabhaig is the second ever licenced Single Malt Scotch Whisky distillery on the Isle of Skye. The Excise Act of 1823 first sanctioned legal whisky distilling in Scotland almost 200 years ago, with the first licence on Skye being granted not long thereafter, so one could say it was about time.

Single Malt Scotch Whisky is inextricably linked to its place of origin, perhaps more so than any other product. The water, the land, the climate, all play a role in the character of the whisky. All these factors are also vitally important in planning a new distillery. Simply put, you cannot just build a distillery anywhere.

Some time ago, the old farmstead at Torabhaig was identified as the perfect location for a small, traditional distillery. All the factors needed to make good, robust island whisky were in place, right down to the Allt Breacach and the Allt Gleann, the burns that feed the site with the purest island spring water. The location was also fortunate to have a handsome, rugged building, rich in history and local lore. 200 years or so ago, the stone that forms this building was hauled up from the ruined castle in the bay, by horse and cart. Men toiled from dawn till dusk building this Steading which was to stand the test of time for the next 150 years or so until farming practices changed.

Our 19th century building has now been fully restored to hold the gorgeous copper stills and traditional wooden washbacks that allow Torabhaig to produce whisky here for the next two hundred years, even having built in a roof that can removed so that in time the pot stills can be replaced without disturbing the old building again.

After a painstaking 4-year restoration and build, Torabhaig has been a fully operational Single Malt Scotch Whisky distillery since January 2017, the second ever on the Isle of Skye.

The Distillers’ Series is Torabhaig’s experimental whisky range – where the people shaping the distillery are given the freedom to explore new ideas, flavours and techniques.

While each release reflects the perspective of its maker, every whisky remains rooted in the same stills, the same island and the same craft that define Torabhaig. Smoke with Taste defines Torabhaig’s house style. The Distillers’ Series offers something different and explores what else is possible.

When Torabhaig was first planned, the ambition was not only to make exceptional whisky, but to bring new people into the industry. Local men and women of different ages and backgrounds were invited to join the distillery and trained from the ground up in the craft of whisky making.

For our distiller Niall, his whisky is inspired by the sea that surrounds Skye, the influence of his fisherman father, and a lifelong connection to the water. Coastal air, family heritage and the quiet rhythm of the tide come together in a whisky that reflects both place and memory.

Base malt : Concerto

Speciality malt : 5% Brown Malt, 5% Dark Crystal

Yeast : Pinnacle MG+ and Safspirit M-1

Fermentation time : Long (90-120 hrs)

Fermentation temp : Standard (28-32 max temp)

Foreshots run : Short (5-10 minutes)

Spirit run : Longer (up to 4 hrs)

Spirit cut point : High for peated (66%)

Spirit phenols : 12 - 15ppm

"The Distillers' Series is a chance to tell my story through the same stills I work with every day. When I got the chance to make a whisky for it, I wanted to do something that felt unmistakably Torabhaig, but reflected my side of Skye a bit more.

I chose malts with sweet and caramel notes, and a lightly peated spirit, to build towards that idea of sweetness, smoke, salt and the sea. There's a softness to the smoke at Torabhaig that really suited that - something coastal and warming, rather than overpowering.

The rum casks played a big part too. They brought more tropical fruit and sweetness forward, which worked really well with the coastal character I was looking for.

The make: 90% lightly peated malt, 5% Dark Crystal, 5% Brown Malt. First fill bourbon, re-casked into refill rum barrels."

Torabhaig’s Distiller’s Series is an experimental series that allows the distillery staff to see their inspirations reflected in a single malt, and Niall’s First Edition was matured in first fill bourbon and rum cask, before bottling at cask strength without chill filtration or added colouring. A peated expression that layers ashy smoke over tropical fruit, with juicy richness, vanilla, golden syrup and a note of brine harmonised by a lightly oily texture.