There are just under four weeks to go until we share The Hearach single malt with the world. It will be a historic moment for our island distillery and the culmination of years of hard work and effort. So, we’d love for you to help us spread the good word about our forthcoming whisky if you can.

In recent weeks we’ve be answering your most frequently asked questions so if you missed any missives or want to know more then simply click HERE, HERE , and HERE to get all caught up. This week, we invite you to meet some of the men and women behind The Hearach itself, each drawn from our local community and working towards the launch weekend with great pride. Read on to learn more, and if you still have something to ask then drop me a line and I’ll try to answer your query.

Slàinte mhor, and as ever here’s to The Hearach!

Le gach deagh dhùrachd,

Mike Donald, Chief Storyteller

Be Here With Us In Harris – 22.09.23 and 23.09.23

Our whisky is being made by a young team of local distillers as we continue to develop the next generation of islanders in the art and science of spirit-making. At 21 years old, Rebecca Morrison from the village of Bowglass is the youngest member of the team. She is joined by 25-year old Thomas Macrae and Donald Macleod, alongside 28-year old Paddy Sinclair. They in turn are led by our head distiller Norman Ian Mackay from Luskentyre who is charged with mentoring them on their lifelong distilling journey. We’re proud to watch them create our whisky with skill and pride, and we look forward to them exploring their craft with us over the coming years.

The Hearach single malt whisky is made to a carefully chosen recipe of spirits drawn from a variety of oak casks. The exact ratios and choice of casks are decided by Shona Macleod from the village of Carragreich and Harry Wood from Drinishader. Together, they nose and sample all our whisky to ensure the highest quality and consistency as we marry and bottle each batch we release. As with all our team, they are home-grown talent who have been trained and mentored in their respective roles and have risen to the occasion every time. It’s been a pleasure to watch their confidence grow as they continue to learn more about the wonderful world of whisky flavours.

We think our maturation site in the coastal village of Ardhasaig are one of the finest places to work in all of Harris. Earlier this year we built two new warehouses to bring our total to three at this special location just yards from the sea on our island’s west coast. Here Billy, Domhnall, and Scott look after the hundreds of casks, butts, and barrels which are stacked high or dunnage-racked, with more added to their collection every week. There are casks filled with our spirit from Kentucky, Spain, Pennsylvania, Bordeaux, and more, each transforming our whisky in their new Harris home. Working closely with our Tarbert team, the views from their desks and warehouse doors alone make their job one of the most envied at our distillery.

Back in 2015 we started life with a small, team of just ten men and women. Today, thanks to your support and enthusiasm for our work, we have over 50 full-time employees. From distilling to bottling, guest tours to storytelling, everything we do happens here in Harris helping us to create sustainable jobs and allow people to plan for the future. The next few weeks will be particularly busy for us, but we know the team will give their all as we head towards the launch weekend. We look forward to raising a glass of The Hearach with you in shared celebration very soon.

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Our mailing address is:

Isle of Harris Distillers Ltd is registered in Scotland.
Tarbert, Isle of Harris, HS3 3DJ