The winter winds are blowing cold and hard across Harris but we’re still feeling the warm glow from last week’s Scottish Whisky Distillery Of The Year award. Once again, we thank you for following our story and sharing in the success as you help our purpose-driven island enterprise succeed with every bottle you buy.
The fuzzy feelings continue as the festive season rolls on, especially with the Christmas lights in our village being lit and the distillery halls being brightly decked, both inside and out. Behind the scenes work continues and our Outer Hebridean island elves are busy bringing bottles of The Hearach whisky good (grown up) girls and boys across the world.
If you’re nearby, come in from the cold and enjoy a blazing fire, mulled gin and mince pies while you shop at the distillery. And, if you’re further afield let us deliver to your door with free shipping throughout December alongside complimentary gift messaging on selected gift sets. The last order date this year is the 17th!
Scroll on for more news, and have a great weekend from all of us here in Harris!
Le gach deagh dhĂąrachd,
Mike Donald, Chief Storyteller
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We recently gave a warm Harris welcome to the team from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society as they travelled to our distillery to fill three special casks for future collaborations.
They also brought with them their iconic green bottles to hold the first of their trio of SMWS limited single cask releases made with our island spirit.
On December 2nd this Distillery 163 – “Smokin’!” bottling went on sale to members (and sold out) and their ever-interesting tasting notes were:
“Descriptors for the aroma came fast and furious – gravadlax sauce, beech-smoked trout, black peppercorn-infused rye whisky and homemade sweet ploughman’s pickle. The taste was like smoked brisket pastrami prepared in a brine of pink curing salt, sugar and spices, alongside mild goat’s cheese on Jamaican gingerbread – intrigued? You should be! And what a change after the addition of water. Initially we stayed in the Caribbean with a warm Jamaican-style coffee and walnut cake followed by the sweet scent of cherry wood-smoked marshmallows. On the palate, we now found a mixture between a smoked battenberg cake and tiramisu with smoked cocoa powder.”
We’ll share a short film in the coming weeks but meantime, please read about their visit, our proud partnership, and the successes of our distillery’s purpose-led enterprise via the link below…
READ “HERE’S TO HARRIS”
Don’t just take our word for it, whisky writers and reviewers love our dram as much as we do.
“Surprisingly smoky, deep, nicotine and marmalade evoking, complete work, subject to first-fill Bourbon, Oloroso and Fino. Spoiler alert: it’s tremendous.”  – Douglas Blyde, Evening Standard
“It’s an absolute cracker: coastal, saline, wonderfully smoky and sweet all at the same time.” – Neil Ridley, whisky writer
“Soft vanilla fudge, faintly floral and with a texture as soft as a Gaelic song – very moreish!” – Charlie MacLean, whisky legend.
Elegant, complex and full of character, it’s also safe to say our first historic single malt is designed for drinking. Share a bottle with friends and family this season…
ORDER THE HEARACH SINGLE MALT
The second expression of our whisky-making brings plenty of warmth to the proceedings this season, thanks to its connections to southern Spain. The Oloroso First Fill Cask Matured single malt draws wonderfully rich, bold, and aromatic flavours from sherry butts sourced from this special region of Andalusia.
The results bring a fine array of winter spices and woodsmoke to the dram, alongside festive notes like cloves, dried oranges and white chocolate. If you’re looking for something which captures a sense of an island Christmas, the one’s for you and yours…
ORDER THE HEARACH OLOROSO CASK
