About Isle of Raasay Distillery
The retained legacy title spells the island 'Rasay'; the correct modern name is Isle of Raasay Distillery. It opened in 2017 at Borodale House and became the first legal whisky distillery on Raasay, a small Inner Hebridean island reached from Skye. Distillation, maturation and bottling take place on the island.
Raasay was designed from the outset to make both peated and unpeated spirit and to mature them in three contrasting cask types. The resulting six-part recipe is more than a marketing device: it builds dark fruit, spice and light smoke through separate production and maturation components.
History
R&B Distillers was founded in 2014 by Alasdair Day and Bill Dobbie. Day initially explored a Borders distillery connected with his family's blending history, but the opportunity to convert Borodale House redirected the first project to Raasay. The Victorian building had most recently operated as a hotel and was restored as part of an integrated distillery, visitor centre and accommodation development.
Planning permission was secured in 2016 and construction followed. The distillery officially opened on 14 September 2017; test mashing and distillation took place that month and the first casks were filled in October. Those are distinct milestones, which explains why sources may use either September or October when describing the start of production.
The first Isle of Raasay single malt reached the market after the required maturation period, with the signature bottling released in 2021. Earlier 'While We Wait' whisky was sourced Highland malt designed to suggest the intended style, not spirit distilled on Raasay. The company has since developed island barley trials and an on-site bottling operation while retaining the original dual-spirit plan.
What makes it distinctive
Mineral-rich water comes from an on-site well connected with Raasay's complex geology. Clear wort and fermentation extending up to about 118 hours encourage fruit before copper pot distillation. The wash still uses a cooling jacket on its lyne arm and the spirit still has an upward-inclined lyne arm, increasing reflux and helping create a clean spirit.
Peated and unpeated spirit are kept separate and each is matured in first-fill rye-whiskey casks, virgin Chinkapin oak and Bordeaux red-wine casks. Combining those six streams produces the signature style. Rye casks contribute vanilla and spice, Chinkapin can bring darker oak spice, and wine casks add red-fruit character. Locally grown barley is an important development programme but is not a basis for claiming every release is made entirely from island grain.
Whisky character and significance
The house style aims for blackberry, plum or cherry fruit, pepper and baking spice, joined by measured peat smoke. Because the components mature separately, individual limited releases may foreground one cask or spirit type more strongly than the core marriage. The flagship was later presented as The Draam, but its production logic remains rooted in the six-cask recipe.
Visiting Isle of Raasay Distillery
The distillery offers tours, tastings, retail and accommodation within the restored Borodale House complex. Current experiences and room availability should be checked directly. Visitors can see a modern plant created for public interpretation from the beginning rather than an older industrial site adapted many decades later.
Location and surrounding area
Raasay lies between Skye and mainland Wester Ross, with views towards the Cuillin. The ferry crossing from Sconser is short but still governs travel planning. Walking, island roads and weather should be considered carefully, particularly when combining the visit with Skye on the same day.
- Whisky region
- Highlands
- Location
- Borodale House, Isle of Raasay, Kyle, IV40 8PB
- Visitor information
- Check the official website for current tours, tastings, access and booking arrangements.
Further information
Visit the official Isle of Raasay Distillery website
Isle of Raasay Distillery: official story
Isle of Raasay: official whisky and production information