Harris

The Isle of Harris distillery, located on the Hebridean island of Harris, officially opened in September 2015, marking a significant milestone in the island's history. The distillery's story began with Anderson Bakewell, a musicologist with a passion for the island's well-being. Bakewell's vision was to establish Harris's first commercial distillery in Tarbert, the island's capital, aiming to involve the local community and provide sustainable employment opportunities.

With a site selected in Tarbert, Bakewell's project received substantial public grants, making it the largest ever awarded to a food and drink business in Scotland. Additional funding came from various sources worldwide. The distillery started with ten employees and has since expanded its workforce to over 20.

The distillery's whisky style is representative of the island's character, offering a lightly peated, complex island malt. The spirit undergoes a long fermentation with a cloudy wort, primarily matures in ex-Bourbon casks, and some in oloroso Sherry butts. The recently released inaugural bottling, named The Hearach (a Harris islander), is expected to be full-bodied, fruity, and embody the distinctive salty, windswept character of Hebridean island malts.