Our whiskies may be made in Harris, but part of their story always begins in Kentucky. Much of the new-make spirit for our single malts spend time maturing in ex-bourbon casks sourced from distilleries in the USA.

By law, American bourbon must be aged in brand new, charred oak barrels. Once used, those casks can’t be used again for bourbon, so they travel across the Atlantic for a second life here in our warehouses. At the distillery, our casks come from some of Kentucky’s best-known producers, namely Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill and Woodford Reserve.

These American oak barrels play a huge role in shaping the character of our dram, whether enjoyed in its purest form in our limited single cask releases or as part of the recipes used in The Hearach range. There are historic connections between our islands and the Bluegrass state too, as many islanders emigrated there over a century ago, so the connections of people and place also stay alive in this special way.

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