Collection
Isle of Harris
Here you will find The Hearach single malt and Isle of Harris Gin from the Isle of Harris Distillery in Tarbert, in the Outer Hebrides. The distillery opened in 2015 and calls itself the social distillery, because it was set up to bring jobs and a future to the island. The Hearach is lightly peated and maritime, while the gin gets a fresh, coastal note from sugar kelp harvested in the waters around Harris.
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Choose the classic The Hearach for the balance of bourbon and sherry casks, or The Hearach First Fill Oloroso for more dried fruit and nuts. Both are distilled, matured and bottled on the island.
The gin is deliberately left out of the M4W Flavour Compass; find out why in this article. More about the makers can be found in the story of Isle of Harris Distillery.
What does the name The Hearach mean?
The Hearach is the Gaelic word for a person from Harris. The distillery named its first single malt after the people of the island, in keeping with its role as the social distillery. The whisky is distilled, matured and bottled on Harris. According to the distillery, batches of around 12,000 bottles are married together for at least twelve weeks before bottling.
How smoky is The Hearach whisky?
Lightly smoky. Isle of Harris uses malt peated to 12 to 15 ppm phenols, far less than the heavy Islay whiskies. The smoke forms a soft, maritime layer beneath fruit and sweetness from first-fill bourbon barrels and oloroso and fino sherry butts. The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV. In our Flavour Compass both Hearach bottles sit under Spicy & Lively, not Smoky & Powerful.
What is the difference between The Hearach and The Hearach First Fill Oloroso?
The classic The Hearach combines bourbon and sherry casks, while the First Fill Oloroso is matured in oloroso sherry casks filled with whisky for the first time. That makes the Oloroso darker and richer, with raisins, walnut and spice, while the core version stays fresher and more coastal. The distillery calls the Oloroso the second expression of The Hearach. If in doubt, start with the classic version.
Why is there sugar kelp in Isle of Harris Gin?
Sugar kelp gives the gin a subtle, maritime note that suits the island. The seaweed is hand-harvested in the waters of the Outer Hebrides and joins eight other botanicals in the gin. According to our product data it is bottled at 45% ABV. Try it with a neutral tonic so that the fresh, coastal character comes through clearly.
Can you visit the Isle of Harris Distillery?
Yes, the distillery in Tarbert welcomes visitors. You can drop in or book a behind-the-scenes tour, and a peat fire burns in the hearth. Tarbert is where the ferry from Uig on Skye arrives, so a visit fits nicely into a trip along the west coast of Scotland. Check the distillery website for opening times and tours.