Our whisky is made with little automation, and we prefer to rely on the ‘human touch’ throughout our spirit-making. This emphasis on people throughout the production process also serves to create employment that would otherwise be lost in a more ‘push-button’ operation.

Our commitment to developing career opportunities for young islanders now manifests in our Spirit Hall through one of the youngest distilling teams in Scotland.

With an average age of just 26 years, Rebekah, Thomas, Paddy, and Domhnall are now fully trained and qualified in the art and science of distilling spirits.

Under the mentorship of our Head Distiller Norman Ian, they use their judgement and experience to decide cut-points by nose and sight, manually adjusting the steam valves and making considered decisions as a team at every step.

The difference this makes to the final results may be hard to define but we believe their growing skills at the stills bring something extra to the spirits we finally bottle.

Read on to learn more about these young people who produce our whisky and gin, and if you’d like to enjoy the fruits of their labour then please consider buying a bottle or two from our online shop.

Le gach deagh dhùrachd,

Mike Donald, Chief Storyteller

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MEET REBEKAH MORRISON
22 YEARS OF AGE

Hailing from Bowglass here in the Isle of Harris, Rebekah went through her school years just a short walk from the Isle of Harris Distillery’s doors.

Rebekah began her career working in our distillery cafe at the age of 17. Soon after, a distilling apprenticeship became available and it proved a chance to embrace a whole new challenge.

After undertaking 2 years of training, Rebekah qualified with flying colours and now makes the historic single malt whisky, The Hearach.

Working close to home is something held close to Rebekah’s heart as she says, “The most important thing is the ability to live and work where I grew up…”

Rebekah was also our first woman distiller, something we are proud of, and we hope her success here inspires others to take on other such traditional male-dominated roles.

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MEET THOMAS MACRAE
26 YEARS OF AGE

Originally hailing from the village of Balallan, Thomas now lives close to the distillery here in our home village of Tarbert.

Thomas always had the distillery project on his radar and took a keen interest in our progress from afar.

But, when a distilling job opportunity arose, Thomas took advantage of the on-the-job training that would be provided and decided to “give it a shot”, in his own words.

Having come from a background of fishing, the life of a distiller inevitably came with steep new learning curves but he’s risen to the occasion every time.

Thomas tells, ‘Every day is different as a distiller. It keeps me on my toes but as a strong team here at the Isle of Harris Distillery, we are all working together towards the same goal”.

Learning he’s both proud and privileged to have secured the role of a distiller with us, we’re delighted he can further his skills and learnings whilst staying close to his island friends and family.

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PADDY SINCLAIR
29 YEARS OF AGE

Paddy was brought up in the village of Tong in the Isle of Lewis and his mother’s side of the family is from Huisinis here in Harris.

He moved to Glasgow to complete a BSc at Glasgow University and then undertook an MSc in Brewing and Distilling before the opportunity to return home and become a distiller with us presented a career path that couldn’t be passed up.

Paddy lists many pros to his job but he places his colleagues high up on his list. He adds that the chance to live and work in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, all while developing his love of whisky-making, is also a bonus.

Leaving city life to settle here in Harris, he’s now able to spend time with old school friends, play in the local shinty team and cherish the time he gets to spend with his Hearaich family, including his grandmother in Huisinis.

Paddy says, “I am also able to add to the population number here which is another great plus in my mind, even if it is only a small number…”

MEET DOMHNALL MACRAE
26 YEARS OLD

With both Scalpay and Leverburgh blood running through his veins, Dol proudly tells that his family come from the Isle of Harris.

Growing up in Fort William, visiting Harris was a regular holiday tradition for him, but in April 2022, Donald decided to make the move to the island for himself.

It wasn’t long before fellow distiller and shinty teammate, Paddy informed him of a distiller opportunity on his work team and the rest, as they say, is history.

Despite the cliché of a ‘family feel’ at the distillery, it couldn’t be more true for him as he often feels it’s more like a friend group than a work one having now settled in well and embraced his role as a Harris distiller.

Domhnall tells us, “I feel at home in Harris. There’s the social aspect, sports and playing as part of the shinty team, spending time with family and feeling at ease with my career and future ahead. The scenery still catches me out and I try my best not to take it for granted.”

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Loch Lomond 14 Year Old

A 14-year-old single malt from Loch Lomond that has been matured in refill American oak casks and lightly toasted French Oak from the Limousin region for up to twelve months. This expression has been bottled at 46% abv without chill filtration.

The nose delivers a delightful fruity character, with green apple, coconut, cinnamon and lemon. Sweet toffee and vanilla fudge make for a sweet palate, alongside a burst of citrus, grapefruit and toasted oak. The finish is long with warming oak spice of clove and aniseed.

Note: If you add an engraving to your order, the message will be displayed on the back of this bottle.

Whisky of the Year 2023

£66.00
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Free Next Day Delivery for 12 Months For just £14.95 you can enjoy free next day delivery on all your orders for a whole year! Geographic restrictions apply, see full T&Cs. Find out more ❯

Being The Blender: How Scotch Blenders Master Their Craft 

Unless what you’re drinking is marked “single cask,” a blender has their fingerprints on the liquid inside any given whisky bottle, whether it’s a blend or a single malt. Maintaining the heart of a whisky’s legacy and balancing that with innovation is one of the challenges facing blenders; that said, beyond a distillery’s core offerings are a range of experiments, innovations, and personal influences on blends.

READ MORE

Whiski Bar

Breakfast Available from 10am Daily!

Start your day the Whiski way! Join us for a hearty Scottish breakfast available from 10am until 11:45am every day at Whiski Bar. Whether you’re craving a classic full Scottish breakfast or smashed avocado & poached eggs, we’ve got you covered.

Fancy a Browse?

Visit us in our shop beside Whiski Rooms or browse our online web shop for a fantastic range of over 500 whiskies, gift hampers and Scottish gifts, all can be delivered.

Browse our Whiski online webstore

Bulleit 12 Year Old Rye Whiskey (750ml)

$44.99 View

Bulleit, the nation’s number one rye whiskey, added a 12 year to their lineup back in 2019 and it sold out instantly. The same 95% rye, 5% malted barley mashbill is used here, and longer aging provides more smoothness, richness, and a longer finish than the standard rye. Now in 2024, the blend includes whiskies up to 17 years old and remarkably, the price is little changed despite the inflation we’ve seen over the last 5 years. There is virutally no American whisky available at 12 years old under the $50 mark. This makes this latest release from Diageo one of the best values in the country.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

THERE WERE THREE OF THEM M’LORD.

Here we go again, another great tour with my friend Ingvar Ronde. This is not work, this is a pleasure that happens for me every year.  In April 2024, we hit a region where we had not extensively toured before;  Lochlea, Jackton, Auchentoshan, Loch Lomond, Glengoyne, Fettercairn, Inchdairnie, Daftmill, Falkirk, Tullibardine, Edradour and Deanston. To be honest, we also had many tastings, book signings, extra visits, food and drink – there were three of us; Ingvar, Marcus and myself. We did enlarge the group for a night at my house for a tasting, something completely different – Irish whiskies.

Monday 15           Ingvar landing at 12.35 pick up at airport – Lochlea and Jackton, staying overnight Glasgow. Both distillery tours were brand new for me, both good, lots of potential at both, some exciting news later on. Both distilleries using Scottish grown barley in the fields of their own estates. The hotel shall remain nameless, a let down to be sure. I am now banned apparently. We do seem to get into trouble easily!

Tuesday 16            Full Scottish breakfast then Auchentoshan. Susan was an excellent guide and a mine of information. Loch Lomond Gary Mills could not have done any more for us, many, many drams and the cooperage was a highlight, thanks guys. Glengoyne Robbie Hughes same again, great guy, good humour and good drams. Overnight in Perth, me at home, a wee tasting may have occurred!

Wednesday 17     Leaving 08.15 for Fettercairn Kieran, Stewart and Kelly were great! The water ring was unique, cooling the potstill.  Hi Paul, Thanks for your kind email, and I am glad to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Fettercairn. Have a nice weekend when it comes and feel free to pop in for a visit anytime you are passing the door. Kind regards, Kelly – Brand Home Manager – Fettercairn Distillery.  Inchdairnie good visit here hidden in the town, what a good design, a modern distillery.  Down to meet Frances at Daftmill, spent a while here down on the farm, including dram time (I lived on my grand dad’s farm in Co Kilkenny 2 – 9 year old, so like going to farms).  Back to Perth, we did a good tasting at Malts & Spirits shop, then pizzas at Brewdog. Overnight in Perth.

Thursday 18          Leaving after breakfast we arrived at Falkirk Oh my God, did we have fun here! A quick tour, then to the boardroom and George Stewart, what a character, story after story, did we laugh? Bet your life we did. And drams, loved it. Our tour there was a blend of a naughty boy and teachers pet! Tullibardine – Mike Elliott did a long Q&A then a distillery tour, I did happen to pick up a bottle while there and another next week. We had a group dinner in Perth, excellent, then a tasting at mine, Liz, Marcus, Shona, Ingvar and myself, mostly Irish drams, although a few Scots snuck in. Overnight in Perth.

Friday 19               Away by 08.20 Edradour – Andre Haberecht, that was good, as it has been closed to the public for some time. Drive to Deanston, Murray Kerr, and then Edinburgh to drop Ingvar off.

Overall another excellent tour with my pal Ingvar, I get to see so much because of him, amazing. Thanks again Ingvar and Marcus, good craic and fun on tour, myself and Ingvar like to take the Michael out of eachother, by now he understands my humour and sarcasm. There was a distillery that was not a good visit, but that will remain under the radar. I was going to say Scots are very friendly, but not everyone we met were Scots. So let’s say everyone we met at distilleries were happy smiling, friendly folks. Mind, there was one person who was on the sideline, had a face like a wet weekend. Ingvar enjoyed Perth. I enjoyed the whole tour, as usual. I am lucky as I get to see distilleries closed to the public, because of Ingvar. He is back in November.

PAUL MCLEAN

With friends and contacts all over the whisky industry, you cannot find better than MCLEAN WHISKY TOURS

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BEN NEVIS 10 YEAR OLD

Ben Nevis 10 Year Old is a superb introduction to the distillery’s style. Full-bodied with a whiff of peat, lots of tropical fruit and hints of coffee, roasted nuts and dark chocolate, this is a great example of western Highland whisky.

“This is one of my favourite drams from Ben Nevis, and not just because it won’t break the bank. It’s a rich and nutty Highlander with a hint of peaty smoke that is delicious on its own or in a highball. It takes me back to summer bonfires and cozy winter evenings.”

Ning Heywood

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Tasting Notes by The Whisky Exchange

Nose Full and rich, with a hint of smoke and roasted nuts under layers of fruit.
Palate Dried fruit and nuts with orange zest and warm spice.
Finish Long and spicy with sweet fruit.

Join us for a tour of Angel’s Envy Distillery

Follow Maggie Kimberl, long-time contributor to Whisky Magazine and American Whiskey Magazine content editor, as she tours the Angel’s Envy Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky, with master distiller Owen Martin. During her tour, she learns about the basic production process of Angel’s Envy’s flagship port-cask finished straight bourbon.

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Beam Suntory and University of Kentucky Advance Strategic Partnership: $9.3M Investment for the James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits

New gift represents Beam Suntory’s continued commitment to the James B. Beam Institute’s mission of advancing the spirits industry in Kentucky and beyond.

Beam Institute
UK President Dr. Eli Capilouto spoke with Brad Boswell of the Independent Stave Company at dedication of the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture James B Beam Institute.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits and Beam Suntory, a global leader in premium spirits, have renewed their strategic partnership to help strengthen Kentucky’s signature industry for generations to come. The continued partnership between Beam Suntory and the University of Kentucky will ensure the Institute continues to offer unparalleled expertise for teaching and research.

Beam Suntory will donate $7.5 million to be paid over a 10-year period. An additional $1.875 million in funding for the Institute will be provided through the Commonwealth of Kentucky Research Challenge Trust Fund (RCTF) Endowment Match Program, subject to approval by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.

“This gift will continue to advance Kentucky’s signature industry by funding research to address systemic challenges facing the spirits industry globally, such as energy and water reduction, improving distilling, maturation and bottling techniques for greater efficiency and implementing scalable and sustainable agricultural practices,” said Seth DeBolt, James B. Beam Institute Director and professor at the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “It’s an incredible opportunity to identify and share best practices with partners and distillers globally and show students the breadth of opportunities within the spirits industry.”

Beam Suntory’s investment provides funding for an endowed chair and professorships, which will further support the Institute’s mission to lead the global advancement of the American whiskey industry though workforce education, scientific discovery, environmental sustainability, community and social responsibility.

The Institute will also work with industry partners to expand best-in-class responsibility programming, such as that offered at The Learning Bar, which can be used at other colleges and universities, and thereby broadening its expertise and reach beyond Kentucky. The endowed funding will allow the Institute to expand student enrollment by 50 percent, creating a robust pipeline of future leaders in the spirits industry.

“The ongoing partnership between the University of Kentucky and Beam Suntory reflects one of our core values – Growing for Good – by committing to investing in the future of bourbon and the professional and economic opportunities it provides,” said Greg Hughes, President and CEO at Beam Suntory. “We’re proud to have such a strong partnership in not only advancing the industry today, but also in training the next generation of distillers, creating more opportunity and representation, in bourbon and beyond.”

Beam Suntory and UK established their strategic partnership in 2019 with the formation of the Institute. Since then, Beam Suntory has provided nearly $6 million in funding, which has helped fund numerous initiatives to support the future of distilling education, including:

• • Establishing an annual conference, which has grown each year and now hosts more than 800 attendees to share research and best practices across the industry;
• • Constructing a 7,500 square-foot on-campus research and teaching distillery – the world’s largest;
• • Providing responsibility training to more than 1,600 students through the hands-on Learning Bar;
• • Expanding the popular Distillation, Wine and Brewing Studies Certificate (DWBS). To date, 225 students have completed the certificate, with many more participating in the courses as electives;
• • Focusing on workforce development through internship and distillery apprenticeship programs and university courses to support the next generation of leaders in the spirits industry.

“In extending our deepest gratitude to Beam Suntory for their generous contribution, we recognize not only their pivotal role in supporting the bourbon industry but also their unwavering commitment to our institute’s mission,” said Nancy Cox, vice president of Land-grant Engagement and Dean of Martin-Gatton CAFE. “This gift strengthens our ability to address industry challenges and reinforces our dedication to preparing future leaders who will drive the spirits industry forward.”

As a land-grant institution, UK is committed to the citizens and industries in the Commonwealth.
The James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits is a multidisciplinary effort of experts from the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, UK Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, UK College of Arts and Sciences and UK Gatton College for Business and Economics. In partnership with Beam Suntory, it continues to advance the next generation of distillers — ensuring the welfare and prosperity of Kentucky’s spirits industry and promoting Kentucky as the production and innovation capital of the bourbon industry.

The RCTF Endowment Match Program enhances private gifts such as Beam Suntory’s contribution aimed at STEM+H fields with an emphasis on economic development and creating new external research funding.

For more information, visit the Beam Institute website at https://beaminstitute.ca.uky.edu/.

About The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment  
The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is an Equal Opportunity Organization with respect to education and employment and authorization to provide research, education information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

About Beam Suntory
As a world leader in premium spirits, Beam Suntory inspires the brilliance of life by delivering great consumer experiences through its world-class portfolio of brands.  Known for its craftsmanship of premium whiskies, including Jim Beam®, Maker’s Mark®, Basil Hayden® and Knob Creek® bourbons; Japanese whiskies, including Yamazaki®, Hakushu®, Hibiki® and Toki™; and leading Scotch brands including Teacher’s, Laphroaig® and Bowmore®, Beam Suntory also produces leading brands such as Courvoisier® cognac, Tres Generaciones®, El Tesoro® and Hornitos® tequila, Roku™ and Sipsmith® gin, Canadian Club® whisky, and is a world leader in ready-to-drink cocktails, with brands like -196 and On The Rocks™ Premium Cocktails.

A global company with approximately 6,000 employees in more than 30 countries, one of Beam Suntory’s core values is Growing for Good and through its Proof Positive sustainability strategy, the company has committed to ambitious goals and investments to promote environmental sustainability in its operations, ensure the company has a positive impact on the communities where employees live and work, and programs to educate and inform consumers to make the right personal choices about drinking. Headquartered in New York City, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan.

For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com

About RCTF
The 2022 Kentucky General Assembly allocated $20 million dollars in RCTF funding to support endowment growth in the fields of science, technology, engineering, math, and health sciences (STEM+H) at UK for qualifying gifts. UK has approved RCTF funding at a 2:1 ratio, enabling more funding for transformative research efforts in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
The RCTF program, administered by the Council on Postsecondary Education, provides Kentucky’s universities support with the goal of stimulating business development, generating increases in externally sponsored research, creating better jobs and a higher standard of living, and facilitating the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.

I would like you to be among the first to know that I have decided to step down as Laphroaig’s Distillery Manager. As you can imagine, it has not been an easy decision and one I have given considerable thought.

Long-standing Friends will know I joined the distillery 13 years ago, starting on the malt floors and in the warehouse, which from there led me to become Assistant Manager and then Distillery Manager in 2022. It’s been an incredible journey, but now I feel the time has come for me to explore new opportunities beyond my native Islay.

Whilst I have mixed emotions on leaving, Laphroaig will always hold a special place in my heart, particularly as it’s from Islay, where I too was born and raised. I remain hugely proud to be a part of this outstanding island community. Laphroaig will remain my favourite Scotch whisky, and I feel honoured to have a hand in over a decade of brilliant Laphroaig whiskies – from Cairdeas to Elements.

I’m also proud and humbled by our passionate community of Friends. Your support continues to fuel what makes Laphroaig what it is today. As a passionate advocate for making Friends of Laphroaig something for everyone all over the world, I will promise to support however I can and remain a lifelong Friend.

Please welcome our new management at the distillery with open arms and open hearts; this will be announced in due course. I’ll be working closely with colleagues in the distillery team over the coming months to create a smooth transition and see out my time here.

I hope to see and raise a dram with as many of you as possible at Fèis Ìle in a few weeks. And to all my Friends old and new, I wish you the very best for 2024 and beyond.

Slàinte.

Barry MacAffer, Distillery Manager