Isle of Harris

Isle of Harris Distillery is one of Scotland’s most celebrated new-wave distilleries, founded in 2015 in the harbour town of Tarbert on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. Nicknamed The Social Distillery, it was established with a dual purpose: to produce exceptional spirits and to create sustainable employment and economic opportunities for the island’s small population. From its striking modern building to its focus on community and craftsmanship, the distillery has quickly become a cultural landmark as well as a producer of premium spirits.

While best known internationally for Isle of Harris Gin, the distillery was conceived first and foremost as a whisky-maker. Its inaugural Isle of Harris Single Malt Scotch Whisky is currently maturing in warehouses on the island, with the first release anticipated in the mid-2020s. This whisky is being crafted to reflect the maritime environment, using soft Hebridean water, locally inspired design, and a considered cask programme. The aim is to capture the unique sense of place in every bottle.

Production begins with concerto barley, malted and milled before mashing in traditional style. Fermentation is deliberately long, encouraging a fruit-forward spirit rich in esters. Distillation takes place in copper pot stills, producing a clean yet characterful new make spirit. The distillery uses American oak ex-bourbon barrels and European oak sherry butts for maturation, along with other carefully chosen cask types, to build layers of sweetness, spice, and depth.

In the meantime, Isle of Harris Gin has become a global success story. Distilled in a small copper still nicknamed The Dottach, it incorporates a distinctive local ingredient, sugar kelp, hand-harvested from the waters around the island. This lends the gin a subtle maritime minerality that complements its bright citrus, floral, and juniper-led profile. The gin is bottled in an instantly recognisable rippled glass bottle in sea-glass tones, reflecting the surrounding coastal landscape.

Visitors to the distillery can take part in guided tours, tastings, and even bottle their own gin. The design of the site, airy, light-filled, and contemporary yet rooted in island materials, has won multiple architectural awards, while the warm welcome from the team embodies the community ethos at the heart of the business.

Our Isle of Harris selection focuses on its acclaimed gin today and will expand to include the inaugural single malt once released. Whether drawn by the clean, briny elegance of the gin, the promise of a maritime malt shaped by Atlantic winds, or the brand’s deep connection to its island home, Isle of Harris offers a rare combination of authenticity, beauty, and purpose in the world of spirits.