Dave Broom & Alasdair Day Photo Scott Mooney

Craft whisky makers R&B Distillers are in the final stages of building of the first (legal!) whisky distillery on the remote Scottish island of Raasay. The distillery officially opened this weekend with Raasay Scotch ready to drink by 2020.

Notable features of the launch included the Isle Of Skye pipe band marching off the Skye to Raasay ferry and leading a procession of islanders, press, founders and VIPs up the hill to the new distillery, which began distilling on Saturday​​​​​​​​​​.

The opening party included a tour of the distillery, a ribbon cutting ceremony led by whisky writer, Dave Broom, and co-founder of R&B Distillers, Alasdair Day, and was followed by a drinks reception in the new visitors centre. In the evening, a full banquet with speech by co-founder Bill Dobbie was followed by a ceilidh at Raasay House into the wee hours of the morning.

Nestling into the magnificent volcanic plug Dùn Caan, with stunning views across the sound to the Cuillin mountain range on Skye, the Isle of Raasay Distillery will possess some of the finest views of any distillery.

Visitor Experience Manager, Iain Hector-Ross, describes the unique location of the distillery: “It may only be 14 miles long and just three miles across at its widest point but Raasay is an ideal place for making whisky. Fertile soils for growing barley and an abundance of water, or uisge in Scots Gaelic, provide perfect conditions for making uisge beatha, the water of life: whisky.”

When the visitors centre opens in October, visitors will be taken on a fascinating and in depth tour around this unique distillery: they will learn about the unusual geology that influences the flavour of Raasay Scotch; spot the resident bat population in the ‘Bat Hotel’ and visit the Celtic Well that provides water to the distillery.

Whisky aficionados will also be able to prolong their visit by signing up for membership to R&B Distillers’ whisky clubs – 10 year membership to Na Tùsairean Club or a ‘Taster Membership’ – which offer one night’s stay per year of membership in the premium accommodation in the beautifully restored Borodale House.