Raasay
The Isle of Raasay Distillery is the first legal distillery on Raasay, an island in the Inner Hebrides. It was opened in September 2017.
| Information about the Distillery | |
|---|---|
| Scotland, Islands | |
| -6.073697 57.351907 | |
| Active | |
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1 x 5,000 l
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1 x 3,600 l
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| 2017 | |
| Bill Dobbie, Alasdair Day | |
| 94,000 l | |
| www.raasaydistillery.com |
| Average tasting notes Tasting Notes |
Calculated from 35
i
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|---|---|---|
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Nosing
Peat Smoke:
Fruit:
Sweet:
Seaweed:
Maritime Notes:
Zitrus:
Vanilla:
Peach:
Nuts:
Malt:
Oak:
Cherry:
Herbs:
Berries:
Spices:
Heather:
Grapefruit:
Lemon:
Salt:
Apple:
Grape:
Oil:
Ham:
Bonfire Smoke:
Sherry:
Grass:
Walnut:
Medicinal Smoke:
Green Apple:
Blackberry:
Caramel:
Pear:
Black Currant:
Tasting
Peat Smoke:
Fruit:
Sweet:
Maritime Notes:
Spices:
Malt:
Seaweed:
Berries:
Oak:
Heather:
Herbs:
Salt:
Herb:
Zitrus:
Wheat:
Red Currant:
Nuts:
Grape:
Plum:
Orange:
Chili:
Black Currant:
Vanilla:
Chocolate:
Coffee:
Apple:
Dark Chocolate:
Barley:
Pepper:
Medicinal Smoke:
Caramel:
Oil:
Bonfire Smoke:
Alcohol:
Tropical Fruit:
Finish
Peat Smoke:
Spices:
Oak:
Seaweed:
Maritime Notes:
Fruit:
Malt:
Pepper:
Sweet:
Red Currant:
Salt:
Heather:
Herbs:
Tobacco:
Wheat:
Chili:
Herb:
Sherry:
Pineapple:
Chocolate:
Nuts:
Grape:
Medicinal Smoke:
Date:
Oil:
Ginger:
Alcohol:
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The Whisky
In collaboration with small local farmers, the distillery grows its own barley in the area. Local peat is used to dry the barley. Raasay is looking to expand this type of collaboration to produce a 100 percent regional Isle of Raasay Single Malt.
Prior to the first official Whisky bottling, the distillery launched the 'Raasay While We Wait Single Malt'. This was created by blending two Whiskies - one smoky and one non-peated - which then received its finish in Tuscan French oak wine casks.
The launch of the first Whisky took place in November 2020, when the distillery presented its Isle of Raasay Single Malt Inaugural Release to the public, which sold out shortly after its release.
The Production
The water Raasay uses for their Whisky has been filtered through the volcanic and sedimentary rocks of Dùn Caan and has a high mineral content. This results in a fruitier spirit which is lightly peated with a peat level of 15ppm. A mixture of fresh American white oak barrels, Bourbon barrels, French oak casks and Tuscan wine casks is used.
Raasay sees itself as an experimental distillery, aiming to produce heavier and more smoky Whiskies alongside light and fruity ones.
The Stills
Raasay uses two copper pot stills made in Italy, with the wash still having a capacity of 5,000 litres and the spirit still comprising 3,600 litres.
The Fermentation Process
The fermentation time at Raasay is an extremely long 90 hours, during which additional flavours are developed.
The Warehouses
The Whisky is stored at Raasay in its own warehouses behind the distillery to take advantage of the island's geological and climatic influence.
The Gin
In addition to Raasay Single Malt, the distillery also produces Isle of Raasay Gin, which contains ten carefully selected botanicals, such as juniper from the island of Raasay, rhubarb root, lemon peel and sweet orange peel. The Gin is triple distilled, making it lighter than the typical new-make spirit with a concentrated note of blackcurrant. The resulting Gin tastes dry, spicy and refreshingly smooth. It is bottled at 46%.
Resident botanist Dr. Stephen Bungard takes care to handpick only the best juniper from Raasay. To create a good balance of flavours, the juniper is distilled with a few selected botanicals in a copper Malt spirit still. The rest is evaporated in a copper aroma basket.
The History
The tax laws of 1788 prohibited stills under one hundred gallons in capacity. In 1823, an amendment to the law added a tax on distillation. Therefore, illegal Whisky distilling had a great tradition on the island.
In 2014, Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day founded R&B Distillers (Raasay & Borders), with the goal of establishing a distillery in Scotland. In 2017, they opened the first legal distillery on the island of Raasay.
The Visitor Centre
Raasay has a visitor centre and offers tours of the distillery. Since you can only get to the island by ferry, the times for the tours are coordinated with the ferry schedules. A tour lasts about an hour and finishes with a dram or a Gin. Advance registration via the website is recommended.
Distillery Address:
Isle of Raasay Distillery
Borodale House
Isle of Raasay
Kyle
IV40 8PB
Tel: +44 (0)1478-470178
Email: info@raasaydistillery.com
User Notes about the Distillery
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